Culture and Ethnicity in Medical Social Work

Medical social work acknowledges the basis for psychosocial challenges, ill health, and cultural elements as influencing practices related to wellbeing. Attention to the cultural context of wellbeing is crucial in ensuring the provision of culture-sensitive and transformative client-friendly intervention. This chapter aims to contribute to the social work curriculum in Kenya, shedding light on important but often understated roles of ethnicity and culture in psychosocial interventions as well as training of medical social workers. This chapter explores the issues of culture and ethnicity in medical social work practice and training. Many individuals in Kenya value their families' cultural-emotional strength and social support; they source home/ herbal remedies and consult traditional healers, often impacted by low resource levels. Furthermore, the focus on advanced health planning may not always be culturally relevant as there is a huge focus on being present-oriented, with taboos related to discussions around ill health, death, and disability. The training for medical social workers in Kenya needs to strengthen the aspect of cultural and ethnic diversity issues, and there is a need for culturally sensitive training.

Igasi yo bukonyi mulihonyi imanyilitsa manyangano ngi tsinganagani nende kusanga, kudaka vulamu nende vindu vilombaga mwima gulondekana nende limenya lilahi. Kuvika tsinganagani ku havundu hi miima mulimenya lilahi kunyariza kuleta kwi tsinganagani ku mwima nende ligirung’anyi lilahi ku vakonywaa. Muliango yigu gwenyanga kumenda ku libanga lyo vusominyi vya vi ingasi ya vakonyi mukivara cha Kenya. Muliango yigu gumeedanga kwanguhiza kugerihitsa kurondekana nende vurahi vutavoleka vyu mwima nende tsihili zianga vandu mu vukonyi vurondekananga nende tsinganagani nende kusanga. Muliango yigu gukaviritsanga vindu vilondekana nende miima nende tsihiri mu ligiza lya vandu vakonya kuhonya. Vandu vingi mukivara cha Kenya valola vulahi nende zinguru tsi miima jireta ku migizi jyavo nende kukonyana vene. Vandu vataveye nende miandu vatumikiranga tsinyasi zi kimwamu kandi vanyola vukonyi vya vashi vimisara nende vasalisi. Kumeda ku yaga, kuhennzelitsa nende kubanga kunyola vuhonyi kunyara kuvura kurondekana nende miima. Ni kigira vayazirira vuhonyi vywayitsi kandi gunyara kuvaa mujiru kumoroma ku vulware, likutsa nende vulema. Kwigiza vakonyi vukuhonya mukivara cha Kenya kwenyeka kudinyiritsi ling’ana lyi miima nende tsihiri tsingano tsinyingi nende mang’ana gajyo, kurwayago, kuganaganange kwigitsa kurondanga miima gya vandu.

Kazi ya kijamii ya matibabu inatambua chanzo cha changamoto za saikolojia ya jamii, magonjwa pamoja na vipengele vya kiutamaduni vinavyohusiana na ukuaji bora wa binadamu. Ni muhimu kuzingatia utamaduni wa jamii husika ikiwa unalenga kufanikisha utoaji wa huduma yenye kudhamini maslahi ya jamii. Sura hii inalenga kuchangia katika kufanikisha mtaala wa huduma ya jamii nchini Kenya. Inaangazia umuhimu wa kikabila na kiutamaduni ambao hupuuzwa katika kukabiliana na changamoto za saikolojia ya jamii pamoja utoaji wa mafunzo kwa wahudumu wa afya kwa jamii. Sura hii inatalii masuala ya kiutamaduni na kikabila katika kutoa mafunzo na huduma ya afya kwa jamii. Watu wengi nchini Kenya wanadhamini sana uwezo wa hisia za kitamaduni zinazotokana na familia zao pamoja na uungwaji mkono wa jamii; wao hutafuta kinga ya mitishamba na ushauri wa waganga ambao huwa ghali mno kwao kiwango cha kukosa uwezo wa kugharamia. Hata hivyo, matibabu ya kisasa huenda yasiwe muhimu kwao kwa kuzingatia mtazamo wa jamii; watu wengi wanaenda na majira ya kisasa japo kuna itikadi nyingi zinazohusiana na masuala ya magonjwa, vifo na ulemavu. Utoaji wa mafunzo kwa wahudumu wa afya ya jamii nchini Kenya unafaa kutilia mkazo suala la mwingliano wa kiutamaduni na kikabila kwani ni muhimu katika kutoa mafunzo yanayotilia maanani utamaduni wa watu.