Latino Culture: Personal Interactions
April 16th, 2019
by Daniel Catalaa
Comparison of Cultural Values
Anglo Culture: The main tenants that regulate personal interactions in the USA are informality,
equality, and personal boundaries.
Latino culture: On the other hand, the main parameters that regulate personal interactions in Latino culture
are formality, deference, and connection.
Formality vs. Informality
US doctors are likely to address patients by their first name and be informal. Senior patients are addressed in ...
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Latino Culture: Communication Style
April 15th, 2019
by Daniel Catalaa
Comparison of Cultural Values
Anglo Culture: The most highly prized style of communication is assertive, direct,
and of low context.
Latino culture: Good communicators use a style that is passive, is indirect, and provides
high context.
Assertive vs. Passive
Communication style differences
In Anglo Culture the most highly valued communication style in the USA is assertive and direct communication:
If the p...
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Latino Culture: Decision Making
April 15th, 2019
by Daniel Catalaa
Comparison of Cultural Values
Anglo Culture: Medical decisions are based on personal autonomy, are patient-driven, and are
affected by citizen socioeconomic factors.
Latino culture: Patients make medical decisions that are family-integrated, doctor-driven,
and are affected by immigrant socioeconomic circumstances.
Patient-driven vs. Doctor-driven Decisions
In the States the patient is in the driver's seat and is the executor of all medica...
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Latino Culture: Self Identification
April 15th, 2019
by Daniel Catalaa
Comparison of Cultural Values
Anglo Culture: The concept of self relies on a sense of personal identity that is in part
job-defined and is characteristically gender balanced.
Latino culture: For Latino immigrants, their sense of identity is derived in large part by family membership
in combination with nationality and gender specialization.
Identity is a multi-layered concept involving age, gender, name, sexual orientation, nationality, persona...
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Latino Culture: Health Literacy
April 15th, 2019
by Daniel Catalaa
Comparison of Cultural Values
Anglo Culture: Emphasis is on a sense of informed patients that is in part some awarenesss of
healthcare system.
Latino culture: For Latino immigrants, their sense of identity is derived in large part by
uninformed patients in combination with low awareness of healthcare system.
Identity is a multi-layered concept involving age, gender, name, sexual orientation, nationality, preferences, ethnicity, culture...
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Latino Culture: Religion and Philosophy
April 15th, 2019
by Daniel Catalaa
Comparison of Cultural Values
Anglo Culture: Axiomatic beliefs are based on the philosophies of free will,
and objective materialism (i.e. scientific methodology).
Latino culture: Beliefs are based on the philosophy of fatalism/determinism and
the religion of Christianity.
Free will vs. Fatalism/Determinism
In the States we consider each person to be a free moral agent that can take personal decisions that are
consequential.
We do not
...
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Latino Culture: Notions of Time
April 15th, 2019
by Daniel Catalaa
Comparison of Cultural Values
Anglo Culture: The main values related to time in the USA are efficiency,
precision, and protection.
Latino culture: The main values related to time in the Latino culture
are enjoyment, flexibility, and improvisation.
Efficiency vs. Enjoyment
In Anglo culture time is something to be conquered, managed, and used to its maximum efficiency.
The Protestant work ethic epitomized by "idle hands are the Devil's workshop"...
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Latino Culture and Healthcare
October 23rd, 2013
by Daniel Catalaa
If you work for a large medical institution in the United States, you will eventually be introduced to the notions of
"culture" and "cultural differences" and there will be an expectation that you will become aware of these concepts and be
sensitive to them. Yet I have found that most trainings in this area are overly generic and lack specific examples.
So you end up listening to the Human Resources' cultural sensitivity presentation, but when you get back on the job, for the ...
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How I get things done
August 1st, 2009
by Daniel Catalaa
Effective people have built in systems and strategies to get things done, and the advice below will in fact help you
to do more. Keep in mind however, that this article does not address what you should be doing to experience your
best life possible (i.e. purpose in life, top values, priorities), just 'how' to get things done.
Soften the target
During military campaigns one of the things the artillery does before an attack is to carpet bomb the opponent's
fortificati...
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Multiculturalism and Identity
May 1st, 2008
by Daniel Catalaa
Note: This commencement speech was given by Daniel Catalaa in May of 2008 during the City College of San Francisco Health Care Intepreter Certification Program Graduation.
Personal Introduction
Dear students, faculty, families, and support people, I feel very fortunate to be with you today and to have been given the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of my classmates and this graduation.
I would like share with you the personal experiences that transform a pe...
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