Overview
The Hispanic American cultural group is comprised of individuals of different ancestry. The group includes the Mexican, Colombian, Rican, Neomexican, Guatemalan, Cuban, and Dominican. The Hispanics consist of a group of Americans who originated from Spain (Census Bureau, 2015). Hispanic Americans speak the Spanish language. The Hispanics occupied the U.S. as early as the 16th Century (Census Bureau, 2015).
Demographics
In 2012, Hispanic Americans presented 17% of the U.S. population. This was an estimated figure of about 53 million. Metropolitan cities in the U.S. accommodated more than one million Hispanic Americans in 2011. The Los Angeles area had the leading Hispanic population in 2011, with a figure of about 5.8 million people (Census Bureau, 2015).
Puerto Rico is the state with the highest representation of Hispanics, with a percentage of 99 (Census Bureau, 2015). Other states with large population of Hispanics are New Mexico with 47.3%, California with 38.4%, Texas with 38.4%, Arizona with 30.3%, Nevada with 27.5% Florida with 23.6% and Colorado with 21%, New Jersey with 18.9%, New York with 18.4% and Illinois with 16.5% (Census Bureau, 2015)
Health Care Practices
Hispanics have a life expectancy of two years longer than that of non-Hispanics. They use folk medicine for treating minor illnesses. The Hispanics hold health beliefs and practices, which help nurses in providing appropriate nursing care. Religious and spiritual beliefs influence their illness and health practices. The family takes care of the health care needs of its members (Eggenberger, Grassley & Restrepo, 2006).
Risk Behaviors
The Hispanics have higher risks of committing suicide. According to studies done by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 2004, the suicide rate for Hispanic Americans was the highest in the country.
Hispanic youths engage in risky behaviors and sometimes even attempt to commit suicide. Additionally, Hispanic adolescents and children experience mental health problems (Eggenberger et al., 2006).
Genetic Susceptibility
Hispanic Americans have a higher susceptibility to certain conditions, such as gastric cancer. Studies show that Hispanics have the highest rates of mortality from gastric cancer in the U.S. as compared to any other group. Hispanic adults, and mostly men, are more vulnerable to diabetes as compared to blacks or whites (Eggenberger et al., 2006).
Nutrition
The Hispanics food is the cuisine, which is very common among the Mexican, Cuban, and Puerto Ricans. In recent years, Mexican cuisine has become very popular in the U.S. The salsa and the tortillas are now common in the cities. Hispanics accompany their dishes with fruit, such as passion fruit.
Spirituality
Though Hispanic Americans are associated with different religious groups, most of them are Christians. As of 2000, Catholics comprised 70% of the total Hispanic population. Protestants represented 20% of the population.
Alternative Christians, such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses, represented about 3%, and 1% of the population identified themselves as non-Christians. An estimate of 6% had no religious preference (Census Bureau, 2015).
Death Rituals
The Hispanic culture holds different beliefs and practices about death. Funerals are family events, which every family member is required to attend. A family member stays with the body of a loved one after their death while other relatives prepare for the burial of the deceased (Dignity, 2015). Flowers and candles are important during the wake as well as for decorating the burial grounds (Dignity, 2015).
References
Census Bureau: Hispanic Americans by the numbers. (2015). Web.
Dignity: The Hispanic funeral. (2015). Web.
Eggenberger, S., Grassley, J., & Restrepo, E. (2006). “Culturally Competent Nursing Care for Families: Listening to the Voices of Mexican-American Women”. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing. 11(3).