Caribbean Women and Present Health Concerns
May 16, 2008
The health of immigrant populations has been of great concern for many years. For the purpose this Blog, let us for a while focus on the health of the Caribbean immigrant populations, and get a little more specific with women’s health.
Caribbean immigrants make up 10% if the total incoming immigrants in the US. (Vital and Health Statistics. 369: March 1st 2006) .Many of the women who emigrate from the English speaking Caribbean countries are in the US with their, spouses and children, or alone as illegal immigrants, Immigration and assimilation to a different culture and way of life is an extremely difficult process and especially so for our women. It is a well known fact that even though white women are more likely to have breast cancer, more black women die of breast cancer, simply because more are diagnosed at a more advanced stage of disease with poor prognosis. According to the Cancer Awareness Network (Center for Immigrant Health) from the NYU School Of Medicine, invasive cervical cancer is usually diagnosed in more advanced stages, in Haitian and English speaking Caribbean women than in US born black women.
The mental health of Caribbean women is also an issue that needs to be addressed. Mental health simply means the absence of a mental disorder or a level of emotional or cognitive well being.
So then, what are the stumbling blocks our women face? The usual culprits are financial barriers, lack of knowledge and awareness, of diseases and prevention, cultural norms, preference for home remedies and so on. Quite often it is the social variables that lead to the physical disadvantages. A good portion of our women were stay at home moms and housewives. Upon immigration to the US, the children make the cultural assimilation at school and the husbands at work. The women in trying to fulfill the role they are accustomed to find that the end results are not the same. It shouldn’t be. In the society we live, there immigrant family can readjust by redistributing the household burdens. The mental well being of an individual is very dependent on a positive attitude, love, friendship, self confidence, sense of control, gender/cultural identity, good nutrition, and emotional awareness and coping skills. Women need more social support from spouses than they traditionally get in the Caribbean. A female who is confident about herself will be more likely to be proactive where is physical health is concerned. The barriers do not go away, but they seem less formidable with social support.
Caribbean Blogger
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I agree that women need more social support from their spouses, but Caribbean men are so traditional, I don’t see that happen.
What do you mean by tradional?