Curanderismo and Latino views of disease and curing.

Abstract

Curanderismo is a diverse folk healing system of Latin America. Eight major philosophical premises underlie a coherent curing world view of Latino patients: disease or illness may follow (1) strong emotional states (such as rage, fear, envy or mourning of painful loss) or (2) being out of balance or harmony with one's environment; (3) a patient is often the innocent victim of malevolent forces; (4) the soul may become separated from the body (loss of soul); (5) cure requires the participation of the entire family; (6) the natural world is not always distinguishable from the supernatural; (7) sickness often serves the social function, through increased attention and rallying of the family around a patient, of reestablishing a sense of belonging (resocialization) and (8) Latinos respond better to an open interaction with their healer. These nuclear ideas or attitudes about health, illness and care are culturally patterned and are both conscious and unconscious (implicit). Moreover, expectations of the nature of the patient-healer relationship have implications for medical practice in general and psychotherapy in particular.

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