title: Culturally competent nursing care: listening to the voices of Mexican-American women.
abstract: Mexican-Americans represent the fastest-growing minority population group in the United States. Gaining a cultural perspective of health care in the Mexican-American population necessitates listening to the voices of women because they assume primary responsibility for maintaining family health. The Transcultural Assessment Model developed by Giger and Davidhizar (2004) provides the framework for this exploration of Mexican-American women's health care views. From this model the investigators developed an interview guide based on social organization and environmental control. Thematic analysis of interviews with six Mexican-American women revealed the importance of the family, religion, and locus-of-control in the health beliefs, attitudes, and lifestyle practices of this culture. Using the voices of Mexican-American women the investigators seek to promote an understanding of the culture as a guide for nursing care. The purpose of this article is to increase awareness of the Mexican-American cultural phenomena of social organization and environmental control which can guide the nurse to provide culturally competent care that meets the needs of Mexican-American women and their families.
authors.affiliation: Minnesota State University, Mankato School of Nursing, Mankato, MN, USA. Sandra.eggenberger@mnsu.edu
authors.forename: Sandra K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Eggenberger
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grassley
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Restrepo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002983:Clinical Competence; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016294:Models, Nursing; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D012944:Social Support; D016746:Transcultural Nursing / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D014481:United States; D016387:Women's Health / Q000208:ethnology*