Uncontrolled Alcohol Consumption May Nur 505 Gu W
Working with a Korean Family
The Korean cultural practice tae-kyo must be observed by pregnant Korean women once they conceived. In so many families, this culture serves the foundation for women’s behavior when they decide to conceive. Tae-kyo includes various prenatal care rituals and behavioral taboos. It is a set of traditional prenatal self-care practices, which originally starts from being prepared as a parent even before the conception. It has been observed by many childbearing women in Korean culture (Noge et al., 2020). This practice is congruent with recommendations for prenatal care to a certain degree because it encourages a woman to focus on her health optimization in order to give birth to a healthy baby and be a good mother.
Food choices among Koreans differ with pregnancy and postpartum to a degree. Pregnant women are encouraged to eat more nutritious food, eat more often and in bigger quantities to meet the needs of the fetus, and consume butter and more liquids for easier delivery (Jeong & Kim, 2020). Besides, pregnant women are encouraged to drink plenty of milk and eat many apples so that the baby would be fair skinned. Korean women believe that fair color of the skin is not only beautiful but also it means that the baby is born healthy (Jeong & Kim, 2020). In addition, pregnant women are encouraged to eat warm food and drinks in order to avoid the risks of cold (Jeong & Kim, 2020). In the postpartum period, Korean women are encouraged to take more food that helps in breastfeeding according to their believes. These include warm drinks, nuts, soups (Jeong & Kim, 2020).
Cultural attitudes toward consuming alcohol in Koreans refer to drinking socially during going out. Drinking with coworkers or fellow students is the norm to strengthen relationships, so refusing drinks are seen as rejecting others’ generosity (Park et al., 2020). The goal of drinking parties is to promote good fellowship and open one’s heart to talking, because Koreans are very closed in general, and they find it hard to discuss their worries openly unless they use alcohol (Park et al., 2020). One of the most common forms of drinking is the hoesik, which literally means dinner with co-workers. Many companies require their employees to join in frequent eating and drinking binges after work with bosses for team-building purposes. Individual drinking is not encouraged in Korean culture, and alcoholism is stigmatized.
One culturally congruent strategy to address Jay’s drinking would be to appeal to his strong family values, because Koreans feel very dedicated to their families and are ready to do everything to ensure their wellbeing (Huh et al., 2020). The provider can explain how uncontrolled alcohol consumption may make things worse for the family. In addition, the provider can refer Jay to community resources available to support young families with little children to help them stabilize their financial situation and optimize the quality of living despite the limitations they are facing. Besides, the provider can refer Jay to support resources and groups for individuals who would like to reduce or eliminate their alcohol intake (Huh et al., 2020).
References
Huh, S. Y., Kim, S. G., & Hong, T. K. (2020). Predictive factors of long-term follow-up in treatment of Korean alcoholics with naltrexone or acamprosate. International Clinical Psychopharmacology, 35(6), 345-350. https://doi.org/10.1097/YIC.0000000000000324
Jeong, G. H., & Kim, H. K. (2020). Pro‐environmental health behaviour and educational needs among pregnant women: A cross‐sectional survey. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 76(7), 1638-1646. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.14346
Noge, S., Botma, Y., & Steinberg, H. (2020). Social norms as possible causes of stillbirths. Midwifery, 90, 102823. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2020.102823
Park, J. M., Sohn, A., & Choi, C. (2020). Solitary and social drinking in South Korea: An exploratory study. Osong Public Health and Research Perspectives, 11(6), 365. https://doi.org/10.24171/j.phrp.2020.11.6.04