Dr. Nydeggar's Syndemic Framework

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As discussed with doctor Dr. Nydeggar, “syndemic framework” is the interaction of various factors that influence a certain aspect of an individual’s life, in this case public health. Often, the interaction of sociocultural and environmental elements of an individual’s life function as a unit, a syndemic framework, to influence that person’s health. One of the groups that is highly influenced by this framework are Hispanic women. Through a combination of quantitative and qualitative data, researchers have identified the increased risk of violence, substance abuse, risky sexual behavior as well as mental health problems Hispanic women are in comparison to non-Hispanic women (Gonzalez et al. 2012). Through the establishment of programs providing Hispanic women with knowledge and incentives at the state or even local level, these health risks could be diminished. Hispanic women are one of the …show more content…
Among the cultural factors influencing women are traditional gender norms as well as religion. Many of hispanic women are taught from an early age how to fulfill their “women” duties, whether it is cleaning, cooking, caring for the children, or keeping the family together. However, women are not entirely taught how to communicate with their partner whether it is about familial issues or protection from sexual risks. This is further influenced by the mass population of catholicism, which emphasizes chastity before marriage. This emphasize completely prevents the talk about the risks of sex, not taking into account that not all individual’s follow this belief. Additionally, because it is frowned upon to break this chastity, many individuals will find themselves not visiting clinics in fear of being outcasted. Furthermore, the stress of wanting to assimilate into the American culture or the fear of discrimination might also increase the