Basic Spanish Skills for Health Center Staff to

Enhance Latinx Patient Experience

Ice Breaker

Rompehielos

LatinAmericaconsists of33 countriesspanningthroughCentral America, theCaribbeanand South America.

Spanish 101Cultural Considerations and Who Are

Your Latinx Patients/Clients?

Latinx refers to people of Latin American origin. Thisinclude Brazil and excludes Spain. Differs from “Hispanic” which implies the Spanish

language and not the area of origin.

→ mostly from Mexico and Central America

→ some may be farmworker families or individuals who only average about $10,000-$ 22,000 annually

→ some may be considered homeless and may not have a permanent address

→ may have limited formal education; the average farmworker has only had 6 years of formal education

→ most have basic reading and writing abilities in Spanish; however, some may have never learned these skills, making the formal learning of English even more difficult

→there may be a need for transportation, especially for a spouse and children→work is a priority making it difficult to make appointments during normal office hours which is why emergency rooms are over utilized →they face discrimination everyday →remember first impressions are long lasting and Latinos will take to heart that first encounter. →your reputation will proceed you through word ofmouth.

→ they have strong family orientation and family loyalty, family includes immediate family, extended relatives, in-laws, friends, godparents

→ there is always a patriarch or matriarch in the family whom to communicate with other than the patient, sometimes the communication needs to channel through the patriarch or matriarch and not the patient (protected by HIPAA if the patient has given written approval)

→ often, the male is the decision maker “machismo”, which is related to the family structure in which the male/patriarch figure makes all the decisions

→ they place value on not appearing foolish or ignorant in public e.g. a person may respond “yes” when indeed they do not understand certain information

→ some believe that sustained direct eye contact is rude and can be dangerous (causing one to be hexed); indirect eye contact shows respect

→ children are the center of attention and greatly valued→ they value honor and respect greatly→ it is not uncommon for couples living together for some period to

consider and declare themselves to be husband and wife by common law; divorce is not as common

→ they place high value on personalism (warmth and emotion in communication between persons) and trust

→ they will seek professionals based more on personal reference than on professional credentials

→ while Western medicine is accepted some may use native healers called “Curanderos” who utilize prayers, massage, and herbs to treat physical, spiritual, and emotional ailments

→ in many Latin American countries, pharmacists prescribe medication and a wider range of medicines are available over the counter

Special Note:Keep in mind that there are always exceptions to the norm, as well as, subcultures that can mislead your initial perception of an individual. Learning about the different population’s cultural norms only gives us a reference point by which to guide our cultural understanding of that population; it allows us to keep an open mind towards those who are different from us.

Spanish GreetingsSaludos en español

¡Bienvenidos!WelcomeIntroduccionesIntroductions

¡Hola! Me llamo/Soy……………Trabajo en…………….

Mi posición es……………

Interactive Practice

https://www.practicingspanish.com/receptionist.html

Spanish 101 – Use of Interpreters

Having some ability to understand and speak the language will help you develop rapport and trust with your Spanish speaking patients; however, this course alone will not guarantee Spanish fluency. Repetition is key to gaining some fluency.

Cultural Considerations Regarding DatesIs it backwards?

¡Yes!December 7, 20197 Deciembre 2019

Saying Good-byeDiciendo Adios

Adios, Chao, Hasta luego, Hasta pronto

End of LessonFin de leccion

Some of South Carolina Primary Health Agricultural Outreach Team and Partners

Sonya Del RioTandem HealthTeam Resources Coordinator803-774-4632sdelrio@tandemhealthsc.org

Linkedin.com/in/sonya-del-rio-51550bb8

Kelly Taylor CareSouth CarolinaMigrant Community OutreachSpecialist843-601-9778Kelly.Taylor@caresouth-carolina.com