Description
Module 5 Discussion
The Korean cultural practice of tae-kyo is basically Korean prenatal education. The practice is based in the thought that the fetus is a person and that life begins at conception (Chu, 2017). Pregnant mothers are expected to listen to classical music, read and study math and English, look at and hear only good things and avoid seeing bad things (Chu, 2017). Mothers are advised to avoid taking medication and use Oriental medicine as an alternative, eat only healthy foods, abstain from sex and call her husband on the phone often (Chu, 2017). Another crucial element of tae-kyo is mindfulness. The pregnant mother should maintain a peaceful state of mind, and should not hate, have evil thoughts, or feel sad. She should say only positive things and engage in prayer (Chu, 2017). The overall purpose of tae-kyo is to harbor a kind, intelligent, and successful child as the education begun in the mother’s womb is thought to impact the child’s future prospects in all areas of his or her life (Chu, 2017).
Tae-kyo is congruent with allopathic recommendations. Traditional American medicine suggests following a healthy, well balanced diet, getting regular exercise as advised by your physician, and avoiding exposure to potentially harmful substances (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development [NICHD], n.d.). Controlling pre-existing conditions, like high blood pressure and diabetes, is important to prevent serious complications, and medication compliance should be maintained (NICHD, n.d.). That would be one area where the two would differ in the theory of prenatal care. To reduce the fetus's risk for complications, smoking and alcohol use during pregnancy should be prohibited, which would be supportive of both allopathic and tae-kyo beliefs. Alcohol use can increase the risk for fetal alcohol syndrome disorders, which can include abnormal facial features, having a small head, poor coordination, poor memory, intellectual disability, and problems with the heart, kidneys, or bones (NICHD, n.d.), all of which would not be a welcome aspect for a Korean baby.
Food choices for the Korean pregnant woman would exclude some of their traditional foods, like duck, chicken, fish with scales, and crab, because they believe them to affect the unborn child’s appearance (Purnell, 2013, p. 367). They would normally still consume their rice, noodles and some spicy foods, like kimchee. Postpartum beliefs for food consumption would follow the mindset of the hot-cold balance. The mothers would consume seaweed soup as a source of replenishing their iron, as well as the promotion of milk production (Purnell, 2013, p. 367). Korean women would continue their diet of seaweed soup, steamed rice for about three weeks postpartum, as well as avoid any cold foods or drinks, as a belief that it will help to prevent chronic illnesses (Purnell, 2013, p. 368). They also engage in herbal medicines to help promote their health and healing.
Korean cultural attitudes towards drinking are not necessarily seen as a negative behavior. Business transactions usually occur after those involved have had several drinks, because Koreans believe that people let down their guard when they drink, and show their true selves (Purnell, 2013, p. 364). Men have been shown to consume more alcohol than women traditionally. The majority of alcohol consumption was found to be done during leisure time, going out or socializing at home with friends, or going out with colleagues (Ko & Sohn, 2018).
A culturally congruent strategy that might be used to address Jay’s drinking could be to involve his church and fellow trusted church members. Purnell (2013) wrote that the church acts as a powerful support group for Korean immigrants (p.369). As both he and Sue have become active in a local church, he may be able to utilize resources they have available in the church for peer guided support, even if it is just to talk about the reasons that are causing him to drink more. Another strategy that might be useful to help with the underlying reasons Jay has been drinking more could include English classes. Los Angeles has an abundance of resources available (California Immigrant Guide, n.d.) that Jay could find one where he could take an English language class to help improve his skills. He would need to have it fit into his work schedule, and it would take some time away from his growing family, but the benefits he could gain for some smaller sacrifices, would be not only for him, but his entire family. By improving his language skills, he is allowing himself the opportunity to find better employment, which is also a current concern of his, and adding to stresses that are making him drink more. As a healthcare provider the more we know about the resources available in the area we serve, the more knowledgeable we become on how better to help the patients we care for, regardless of what their needs are.
References
California Immigrant Guide. (n.d.). Learn English. https://immigrantguide.ca.gov/en/LearnEnglish (Links to an external site.)
Chu, M. (2017, August 31). Taegyo: how the rich pamper their fetuses. Korea Biomedical Review. https://www.koreabiomed.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=1217#:~:text=Taegyo%2C%20or%20the%20Korean%20version,wrote%20Taegyoshingi%20in%20the%201800s (Links to an external site.).
Ko, S., & Sohn, A. (2018). Behaviors and culture of drinking among Korean people. Iranian Journal of Public Health, 47(1), 47–56. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6124142/ (Links to an external site.)
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (n.d.). What is prenatal care and why is it important? https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/pregnancy/conditioninfo/prenatal-care (Links to an external site.)
Purnell, L. (2013). Transcultural health care: A culturally competent approach (4th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: F. A. Davis Co.
Explanation & Answer
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I agree with you that the Korean cultural practice of tae-kyo is a Korean prenatal education
program that pregnant mothers observe. This e...
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