Questions to Consider in your Search for Information about the Community
Historical Issues
- What is the history of the community?
- What name or names do the cultural groups use to refer to themselves?
- What is the significance of the different names?
- What are the major differences between cultural groups in your target community, particularly across generational, educational, socio-economic and geographic lines?
- What have been the major historical events which describe the target group's experiences in the United States?
- What were and are the major conflicts between or among the cultural groups in the target community? What were the outcomes?
- What were and are the major conflicts within each group? What were the outcomes?
Economic and Political Issues
- What are the different socio-economic levels of groups within the community?
- What is the political status of each group in the community (e.g. undocumented, refugee, legal immigrant, citizen)?
- What are the different literacy levels within groups? Are they literate/illiterate in English and/or their own language?
- What are the different education levels within groups?
- How is their health status affected by their economic and political status? What are the predominant health problems?
- How often is medical care used by these different groups? What types of care?
- What are the organizations that successfully serve the different groups within the target community? Are they governmental, religious, community, social service, political or ethnic in nature?
Culture and Tradition-Specific Issues
- What are the values of the different groups in the community?
- How do various members of each cultural group define health and illness?
- What are some of the more common health beliefs and practices of community groups, both in general and with respect to specific problems?
- What are the predominant family structures within the community's cultural groups? Patriarchal, matriarchal, single parent household, extended families, etc.?
- What are some of the traditional roles of different family members in these cultural groups, particularly where health care is concerned?
- Who are the formal and informal leaders in the community, and what role do they have in the area of health promotion?
- How many languages and dialects are spoken?
- What are the formal and informal channels of communication within and between different groups?
Medical Orientation
- What are the group's general beliefs about the cause, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease?
- What are the group's attitudes towards "Western" medicine?
- In general, what has been the experience of different groups when trying to access the health care system?
- To what extent is there use of traditional medicine or healers?
- Where do people go for health information?
Diet
- What are traditional foods, and what role do they play in health, religion, and social activities?
- How has diet here in the U.S. changed over time as compared to in their country of origin?
- Is there access to foods that constitute traditional diet? Are there acceptable substitutes?
Religion
- What are the different religions practiced within the cultural groups in the community?
- How is practice of their religion influenced by their culture?
- What is the size of membership, and who are the members?
- Who are the religious leaders, and what is their role in the larger community?
- Are there conflicts among or within the various religious groups?
- What involvement do various religious groups have in the area of health education and promotion?
- Do religious beliefs conflict with the philosophy of health promotion? Can the beliefs be incorporated into your program?
Contributor
Eric Wadud
Bill Berkowitz