Cultural Interviews and Assessment Essay

I am interviewing a 32-year-old male (X) from the India who has been a resident of the San Jose in the US rural argona of California since the tolerate 10 years. He is employed as a Softw argon organize in adept of the softw be MNCs in urban parts of California. Regarding, the Asiatic and Pacific Islander Americans (APIA) population in the US, they are one of the hurrying growing population in the US. In the year 1999, the population was virtually 11 million and it is expected to grow to some 20 million by 2020. In 1999, 4 % of the US population was APIA, 12 % Hispanics and 11 % African-Americans.The APIA come from several parts of the world including India, China, Pakistan, Polynesia, Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, Hawaii, Japan, Philippines, Indonesia, Korea, Vietnam, and so forth One of the favorite locations in the US, the APIA population would like to constitute is in the state of California. The APIA make up for astir(predicate) 12 % of the California population in 1999. They come from various cultural backgrounds and get diverse needs. They are one of the most diverse groups in the US, and it is serious to fulfill their wellness fusss receivable to diverse healthcare needs. Let us now go through the entire interview process Socio-economic factors Mr. X earns a battle 45, 000 US dollars every month. He is employed in a software-MNC. None of his other family members are plows. He is married and has one squirt. Although he came to the US in 1997, he brought his family down to the US about a year back. Mr. X feels happy that he is sufficient to earn a good income in the US and is more(prenominal) or less settled. He feels that many of the Indians in the US are earning off the beaten track(predicate) less and are belonging to the poverty groups. However, he also feels that the organization he is working in is a small organization and the income provided is less compared to other organizations. animateness-style MR.X is non leading a very healthy lifestyle. front as his family was not with him, he used to eat his food in eat-outs and restaurants. Due to this, he is inefficient to lead a healthy life. However, once his family has come home, he is able to eat a traditional Indian meal and due to this, his nutritional status has improved. He is now able to consume a balanced diet. Mr. X and his family members consume a vegetarian diet. Mr. X smokes about 5 cigarettes a day and consumes about 2 servings of alcoholic beverage (e peculiar(prenominal)ly whisky and rum) on Saturdays and Sundays. He is able to sleep only for about 6 to 7 hours a day. This is due to excessive workload.Although his duty timings are only 8 hours, he puts in an extra 5 hours work at home. During the weekend, he has to work from home at least for 5 hours on Saturdays and Sundays. He usually gets together in family meeting and spiritual ceremonies on Saturdays and Sundays. Family Values Mr. X has not had much of a family life in the US. This is because his wife and child were staying back in India, as they were ineffective to come to the US earlier. However, in the last one-year his wife and child have come down to California and are staying with him. His boy is an 8-year-old kid, who has adept joined a US Elementary school.The child goes to school for about 4 hours in a day, from Monday to Friday. Prior to this one-year, the only members of his family in the US were his cousins, uncles and aunts, who reside about 20 miles from his home. Mr. X feels that in India, family values are yieldn a great amount of importance. Down in India, mass stay in a common house with the family members. This is especially seen in villages and small towns. Family meetings are conducted every day and usually food is consumed and prayers are said in a family. During the earlier days when he had near come to the US, Mr.X had stayed with one of his maternal aunt in California. However, as his condition began to improve and his job was settled, he shifted to a separate residence. However, he continues to meet his family members during weekends. Mr. X also makes authorized decisions after taking the advice of the elders in the family. This is also the case in India, where elders are given a dope of respect and value. In case of any personal hassle, he would starting time call up his uncle, a man of 67 years, and explain his problem to him. Religious preferences Mr. X belong to a high caste Hindoo family in India, and actively practice his religion.During the weekends, he attends for prayers in a temple in California. He usually makes a trip along with family members. He does attend intricate religious practices at home and at his workplace. He consumes a vegetarian diet and would take care especially whilst eating out. During the forenoon and before starting work, Mr. X chants a few short prayers. This he also does after he finishes work and before going to bed. His wife and child are also religious l ike him. He accompanies his family members during the weekends for a trip to their local temple. The local temple is about 25 miles away from their home.They also consume a vegetarian diet. In California, the number of vegetarian restaurants and eat-outs are less, due to which he has experienced problems. Health and practices Mr. X enjoys a good state of health compared to the other APIAs in the US. It is also important to note that the APIAs enjoy a much emend health status compared to the Whites, African-Americans and the Hispanics. In the year 1999, Mr. X suffered a bout of malaria. He suffered from the illness for about 15 days, and required admission in the Hospital. During his earlier days in the US, Mr. X did not have health insurance. Hence, he had to pay for his hospital bills.In the year 2000, the organization he was working with provided him with health insurance, which helps him to meet with his health expenditure. As Mr. X smokes also and due to his work-related hab its, he suffers from asthmatic attacks often. He uses a small substance that provides Broncho-dilators. He has to consume two puffs twice a day as suggested by the medical student. He also follows the advice on food and exercises suggested by the physician. sometimes during winter months, Mr. X requires hospitalization for difficulty in breathing. This has occurred frequently in the last 4 years. His hospital bill is now covered by health insurance.The physician has repeatedly suggested to give up smoking and to follow better work-related practices, which Mr. X has ignored. The access to health is good, as Mr. X resides in an urban area. He has a hospital providing ultra-modern facilities located about 1 mile from his residence. The hospital also has physicians, specialists and nurses who are from an Indian background. This makes him a special patient at the hospital. He does feel that his physician is able to carry with him appropriately and understand his health problem. As Mr . X has his family come in newly into the US, they do not have health insurance.However, he plans to remove to health insurance for them within the next six months. So far his wife and child did not require hospitalization. However, MR. X frequently takes his son for health checkups and immunizations to the pediatrician. His wife visits a female gynecologist frequently, to ensure that problems with her periods are addressed properly. She does prefer going to an Indian female gynecologist, but is unable to do so as there is a shortage of checkup staff from other cultures in the US. Due to problems with financing (uninsured), she is unable to drop seeing an Indian gynecologist from another hospital.MR. Xs physician and pediatrician both belong to the Indian community. Child-bearing/parenting practices Mr. X has just one son, and he plan to have one more child in the near future. However, he says that during the pregnancy period, he plans to send his wife and son back home to India , as he may be unable to take appropriate care of his wife. As family values are give great importance in India, Mr. X wishes that his son stays with him redden after crossing the age of 16 or 18. He wants his concisely to mix about with other children in the US, but at the alike time follow Indian traditions regarding religion, diet and customs.Other issues Mr. X and is family members do understand English and do not have any problem communicating with the people in the US. Mr. X may not pack preventive medical care. However, he does visit the local physician frequently to take medical advice and go in for routine checkups. Mr. X feels that more physicians, nurses and specialists from the Indian communities should be available to fulfill the need of the Indians in California. Mr. X also feels that the local government and the Federal government have not addressed several of the problems faced by the APIA communities in the US.This is with regards to health insurance, health ac cess, education, working conditions, immigration status, etc. References Ro, M. Overview of Asiatic and Pacific Islanders in the United States and California. Center for Alternative Policies. 1999. 9 Nov 2007. http//www. communityvoices. org/Uploads/om3gfk55hhzyvrn00n4nerbf_20020828090003. pdf Srinivasa, S. Toward Improved Health Disaggregating Asian American and Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Data. American diary of Public Health 90. 11 (2000) 1731-1734. http//www. ajph. org/cgi/reprint/90/11/1731. pdf