Laotians Perception Of Illness

Laos is a Southeast Asian landlocked country that is surrounded by Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Burma, and China. Laotians immigrated to the United States due to being drawn into the Cold War in 1975. Before immigrating to the United States they tried to flee to Thailand. This was due to the people’s Democratic Republic being proclaimed. Thousands of Laotians tried to move to Thailand for a better life in the mid 1980’s. Thailand had refugee camps set in place for the Laotians, but the living conditions were less than satisfactory. When the conditions of these camps became known the United States and Canada decided to help. In 1975, the United States government passed the Indochina Migration and Refugee Assistance Act to help the Laotians transition …show more content…
Most of them believe that suffering is inevitable and that a life is predetermined. This keeps them from going to the doctor because they believe that they have to suffer, as it is a part of life. The way that they perceive the illness will determine whether they will seek medical care. Laotians believe that illness is due to one of the five things; an imbalance of yin and yang, obstruction of chi, failure to be in harmony with nature, curse by an offended spirit, or a punishment of immoral behaviors. Each perception has a different outcome of how they will cure themselves. If it is believed to be an imbalance of yin and yang, herbal or folk medicine will be used. Some believe it is a supernatural source so they will turn to religious healers or shamans. These healers usually perform rituals to help the soul get back into the body or to keep the bad spirits out. A healer can be called before a surgery to perform a ritual to make sure the correct soul gets back into the body. “Many Southeast Asian refugees believe that surgery upsets the soul or causes the spirit to leave the body” (Uba page 545, 1992). Lastly, if they believe that the source of the illness is organic they will seek care from western heath care providers. It is important to understand and be able to provide a shaman when needed to maintain the patients’ trust. By letting the patient know that their culture is understood, they will be more likely to give …show more content…
One can gain an understanding of Laotian culture by conducting research, by simply talking with the patient and their family. As a health care provider, illnesses and procedures pertaining to their treatment should be explained fully and as simply as possible to ensure that the patient understands what is being said. It is also beneficial to educate the patient on how to access health care by the use of translators. By performing theses tasks, the health care provider is able to provide quality care for their