Connect with Latino Consumers through Culturally Appropriate Health Education Tools
Cultural Adaptation transcends translation. Integrating cultural authenticity makes health and nutrition messages more relevant.
Cultural Adaptation
- Integrates traditional foods, cooking, and meal preparation to existing nutrition messages
- Addresses cultural factors influencing health behaviors of US Hispanics subgroups including how they might perceive the cause, course, and treatment of illness.
- Addresses acculturation level, idioms of different Hispanic subgroups, country of origin, health literacy
- Recommends adapting layout using graphics reflecting people, places, language, music, traditions, and foods familiar and preferred by the target audience
Using Culture to Better Communicate your Health Care Message
Language
The word “verdura” (vegetable) has different connotations among US Hispanic subgroups. Mexicans define verdura as non-starchy vegetables while Puerto Ricans define verdura as starchy-root vegetables. This cultural tip is essential when developing nutrition education messages. Encouraging consumption of more “verduras” translates to additional carbohydrate consumption for one group
Socio-Cultural
Enhance the receptivity of materials using group’s cultural traditions.
Music
Rancheras (Mexico) vs. Salsa/Merengue (Caribbean Hispanics)
Sports
Soccer or futbol (Mexico) vs. Baseball (Caribbean Hispanics)
Holidays
Virgen de Guadalupe (Mexico) vs Three King’s Day (Caribbean Hispanics)
Food
Corn, beans and peppers (Mexican Staples) vs Rice, beans and starchy vegetables (Caribbean Hispanics)
Hispanic Foodways can help you transform your materials to reach Hispanic consumers. Email contact@hispanicfoodways.com
