Title

Cultural Mechanisms in the Exchange of Social Support Among Puerto Ricans After a Natural Disaster

Authors

Authors

F. I. Rivera

Comments

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Abbreviated Journal Title

Qual. Health Res.

Keywords

culture / cultural competence; health seeking; Latino/Hispanic people; social support; MENTAL-HEALTH; UNITED-STATES; HELP-SEEKING; ETHNICITY; DISTRESS; SEPTEMBER-11; RESOURCES; HISPANICS; COMMUNITY; SURVIVORS; Health Policy & Services

Abstract

In this study, I uncovered the dynamics involved in the exchange (or lack) of social support among a group of Puerto Ricans who experienced a natural disaster. I coded and analyzed 12 semistructured qualitative interviews. My analysis of the interviews revealed that a reported high degree of need was not associated with any type of help seeking from the respondents' social support networks. Relevant issues that arose in explaining the lack of social support exchanges were level of comfort in help seeking and cultural issues. My findings point to the importance of culture in shaping patterns of help-seeking behavior in the aftermath of a disaster. Two of the most salient cultural explanations as to why disaster victims were reluctant to ask for help from family and friends were the issues of confianza (trust) and pena (embarrassment). I discuss the results with reference to how they might help in planning and establishing programs to maximize help seeking among Latinos/as in an emergency situation.

Journal Title

Qualitative Health Research

Volume

22

Issue/Number

6

Publication Date

1-1-2012

Document Type

Article

Language

English

First Page

801

Last Page

809

WOS Identifier

WOS:000303447500007

ISSN

1049-7323

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