This paper examines the health culture of the Hmong people, a Southeast Asian ethnic group who began immigrating to the United States following the Vietnam War in 1975. Drawing on sources across anthropology, public health, and cultural studies, the paper covers Hmong traditional health beliefs rooted in animism and spiritual healing, their customary diet, a brief history of the Hmong people and their migration to the United States, and the cultural factors — including gender norms, clan authority, and spiritual ritual — that shape their resistance to Western medical practices. The paper concludes with recommendations for improving healthcare compliance through culturally sensitive engagement strategies.
The Hmong people are a group of Asian-Americans who have been living in the United States since an immigration program was started in 1975. Because of their strong animistic faith and beliefs in the supernatural, they have been slow to adapt to the healthcare practices of the United States. The Hmong continue to rely on alternative medicine and faith healers to cure illnesses.
The health practices and beliefs of the Hmong people are traditional for the most part. The Hmong are a spiritual people, and this philosophy permeates their concepts of health and illness (Cha, 2010). Like all other matters of an individual's existence, the health of a person is also linked to the community. The clan elder is consulted in the case of a serious illness. The help of an herbal therapist, massage therapist, or acupuncture therapist may be sought. In more serious cases, the services of faith healers are sought to rid the body of evil spirits believed to be causing the illness.
The Hmong are sensitive about the sanctity and authority of their community or clan (Her, 2010) and do not give much weight to the opinions of people outside their clan. This includes practitioners of Western medicine. The Hmong are averse to discussing their health problems with a physician and to taking drugs as prescribed by a doctor. They are also less likely to visit a hospital or undergo surgical treatment. Their fatalistic philosophies further discourage them from seeking immunizations or treatment for chronic illnesses (Cha, 2003).
The traditional Hmong diet is extremely simple and plain compared with the American diet of the country they have migrated to. The Hmong have traditionally been mountain-dwelling people in the regions of southern China, Laos, and Thailand, where rice is widely grown. Rice is therefore the staple of their daily diet. The Hmong have three meals a day, which forms the basis of their dietary regimen. Hmong food is neither spicy nor fried. Salt is rarely added during cooking but is served at the dining table in a separate bowl so that family members may season their food as desired (Meester et al., 2010).
Fish and vegetables make an important part of the diet and usually accompany the rice. These are cooked very plainly — typically boiled with minimal use of spices. However, chilies may be served alongside the meal so that individuals may add them according to their taste. The Hmong also incorporate soup into their diet, which may be made richer with the addition of pieces of rendered fat (Lee & Tapp, 2010).
The Hmong are not particular about having something sweet after a meal, but sugarcane grown on farmland may be used as a source of sugar in the diet. Traditional snacks include corn on the cob and fruits that grow abundantly in the mountainous regions and the plains. Baked sweet potato is also eaten as an afternoon snack (Lee & Tapp, 2010).
The Hmong people are native to mountainous regions of Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos, but are believed to have originated in southern China (Hillmer, 2009). They have never had a separate national homeland throughout the course of their history and have been called by various names, including Meo and Miao. They have lived in mountainous regions where they built a civilization based on farming and hunting, organized in large clans, with knowledge guided by a belief in animistic and supernatural forces.
There was no Hmong written language until the 1950s, which has made it difficult for much of Hmong history to survive beyond a few generations. Moreover, Hmong history is based on oral memory rather than written documents. Because of this, there is little uniformity in the historical accounts of the various clans of the Hmong community. The Hmong did not make an impact on the international scene until the start of the Vietnam War in the 1960s. Being opposed to Communist rule in China as well, the Hmong cooperated with American forces in fighting communist forces in Vietnam (Hamilton-Merritt, 1993).
Because of the strategic location of their communities at the junction of Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam, they were recruited and trained by the United States during the Vietnam War to prevent communication and cooperation between the Vietnamese and the Laotians. After the withdrawal of American forces, the Hmong people faced serious repercussions in Laos.
"Post-war refugee resettlement and dispersal across America"
"Gender norms, clan authority, and spiritual barriers to care"
"Shamanism, soul beliefs, and ceremonial healing practices"
Always verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.