Burmese by

Country: Myanmar

dasalchynna — 2024-08-28 14:19:54 UTC

Myanmar, which is also called Burma, achieved independence from Britian in 1948 and is located in Southeast Asia (BBC, 2018). The current population of Myanmar is approximately 55 million people with a 0.71% increase from 2023 and is expected to increase more in the future (Myanmar Population 1950-2024, 2024). The capital city of Myanmar is Nay Pyi Taw and the country is widely known for its beautiful Buddhist temples.

BBC. (2018). Myanmar country profile. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-12990563

Myanmar Population 1950-2024. (2024). Macrotrends.net. https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/countries/MMR/myanmar/population#:~:text=The%20current%20population%20of%20Myanmar

Traditional Music

dasalchynna — 2024-08-28 14:26:55 UTC

Burmese traditional music genres (Burmese Music, 2022):

1. Pwe: Pwe is a folk music that is performed at festivals and public events or celebrations which uplifts the atmosphere with its upbeat tempo.

2. Nat: Nat is a form of religious music traditionally performed at Buddhist temples.

3. Hsaing waing: Hsaing waing is a type of orchestral music that is commonly played at formal events like weddings and state ceremonies.

4. Saung: Saung is a music style that is often performed by solo singers and is known for its beautiful melodies.

Burmese music. (2022, July 16). Insight Myanmar. https://insightmyanmar.org/all-about-burma/2022/7/16/burmese-music

Health belief and traditional medicine

dasalchynna — 2024-08-28 14:30:30 UTC

Burmese people strongly depend on traditional medicine like herbs that are available in the mountains. (Herbs Insight Myanmar, 2023):

1. Thazin: used to treat fevers, colds, and flus.

2. Nga-kyet-hna: the leaves are used to make tea that is used to treat kidney and bladder issues.

3. Pyin-byu: the roots and leaves consist of anti-inflammatory properties and is used to treat joint pain and rheumatoid arthritis.

Factors that influence health (Burmese | ECALD Cross-Cultural Resources, 2024):

1. Supernatural: spirit possession by a Nat or ancestor can impact their health.

2. Spiritual: bad karma or breaking religious ethics can cause illnesses.

3. Traditional belief

- Koro: feard by Burmese people when the genitalia will retract into the body which can potentially cause death.

- Menstrual flow: a woman’s menstrual flow reflects on her overall physical and mental well-being.

Herbs Insight Myanmar. (2023, February 5). Insight Myanmar. Insight Myanmar. https://insightmyanmar.org/all-about-burma/2023/2/5/herbs

Burmese | eCALD Cross-Cultural Resources. (2024). Waitemata District Health Board. https://www.dev-ccr.ecald.com/asian-cultures/burmese/#healthcarebeliefsandpractices-factorsseentoinfluencehealth_quick

Traditional Dance

dasalchynna — 2024-08-28 14:34:30 UTC

Jacek Klimko. (2015, January 12). A Traditional Myanmar Dance Performance, Short Video. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fnvj6u6Xnk8

Domain 1: Clinical Expert

dasalchynna — 2024-08-28 14:40:03 UTC

For me, the most relevant aspect of Domain 1: Clinical Expert is competency standard 1.1. As a future RN, I need to display active listening and engagement with patients from different cultural backgrounds despite the challenge and not be quick to judge the patient based on stereotypes and be aware of their personal experiences, personal and religious beliefs, and values that I may not adhere to. Having learned the importance of having an open-minded and respectful approach by adapting my methods to ensure effective communication that is suitable for my patient has improved my understanding of the standard. Moreover, I now feel that I am more capable of caring for patients of unique and different cultural backgrounds (Migrant and Refugee Women’s Health Partnership, 2019).

Migrant and Refugee Women’s Health Partnership. (2019). Culturally Responsive Clinical Practice: Working with People from Migrant and Refugee Backgrounds COMPETENCY STANDARDS FRAMEWORK FOR CLINICIANS. https://culturaldiversityhealth.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Culturally-responsive-clinical-practice-Working-with-people-from-migrant-and-refugee-backgrounds-Jan2019.pdf

Common health concerns among Burmese refugees

dasalchynna — 2024-08-28 14:43:02 UTC

According to Chaves et al. (2009), health study research was conducted on 156 Burmese refugees and found that Helicobacter pylori was the most common infection found in Burmese refugees arriving in Australia with a statistic of 80% refugees infected. Other health concerns issues such as latent tuberculosis, vitamin D deficiency and strongyloidiasis were also affecting the Burmese refugees.

Helicobacter pylori is listed as one of the common health concerns and is an aetiological agent in the development of gastric cancer (Schulz et al., 2024). A treatment recommended by Australia for refugees who are infected with Helicobacter pylori is an acid suppression therapy (Schulz et al., 2024). The therapy is a seven-day course that is combined with vital antibiotic medications such as a proton pump inhibitor, amoxicillin and clarithromycin (Schulz et al., 2024).

Chaves, N. J., Gibney, K. B., Leder, K., O’Brien, D. P., Marshall, C., & Biggs, B.-A. (2009). Screening Practices for Infectious Diseases among Burmese Refugees in Australia. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 15(11), 1769–1772. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1511.090777

Schulz, T., Kay, M., & Cherian, S. (2024). Australian refugee health: primary care for people of refugee backgrounds. Refugee Health Guide . https://refugeehealthguide.org.au/

Social determinants

dasalchynna — 2024-08-28 14:45:35 UTC

The Myanmar government continues to share favour and privilege towards Buddhism and ignores other religious groups (Paing , 2021). Both religious communities and individuals are negatively affected because of the government’s policies, laws and practices which only focus on Buddhism. According to Paing (2021), Christians, Hindu and Islamic groups struggle to secure permission to build their place of worship or repair existing ones while Buddhists are free to build various types of buildings like temples and pagods at any location they desire. This factor negatively impacts the mental well-being of Burmese people because they feel excluded and ignored by the government. Furthermore, Burmese people would also feel restricted to freely follow their religion, losing their sense of belonging (Paing, 2021).

Paing , H. (2021, August 30). Identity and Social Inclusion. Kyoto Review of Southeast Asia. https://kyotoreview.org/issue-31/identity-and-social-inclusion/

Religion

dasalchynna — 2024-08-28 14:48:02 UTC

The most practised religion in Myanmar is Theravada Buddhism which covers 90% of the country’s population (Buddhism in Myanmar, 2023)

Buddhism in Myanmar. (2023). Rpl.hds.harvard.edu. https://rpl.hds.harvard.edu/faq/buddhism-myanmar#:~:text=Close%20to%2090%25%20of%20people

National dish

dasalchynna — 2024-08-28 14:50:27 UTC

The national dish of Burma is called Mohinga, a fish noodle soup dish that is typically served during breakfast (Fear, 2023). Mohinga is also known as the nation's signature dish and is deeply appreciated in Burmese cuisines (Shi, 2023). The famous dish holds a special place in the hearts of Burmese people because it gives them a sense of belonging, identity and comfort.

Fear, C. (2023, June 21). How to Make Mohinga (Burmese Fish Noodle Soup). Fearless Eating. https://fearlesseating.net/mohinga-best-noodle-soup-ever/

Shi, D. (2023, October 18). All about Mohinga: Meet the National Dish of Myanmar (Burma). Beyond Borders. https://blog.remitly.com/lifestyle-culture/nationaldishes-mohinga-fascinating-facts-myanmar-burma/

Traditional Clothing

dasalchynna — 2024-08-28 14:52:59 UTC

Longyi is the name of Myanmar’s traditional clothing. It is a simple but unique national costume that is generally worn in everyday life in Burmese culture. According to Tran (2019), Burmese people love to wear Longyi every day because it makes them feel comfortable, simple, gentle and attractive. Longyi has widely spread across other Asian countries such as India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia (Tran, 2019). Burmese people take pride in their unique traditional clothing and proudly wear their Longyi every day because of its ability to be versatile.

Tran, C. (2019, November 7). The story of Longyi - An impressive Myanmar traditional dress. Indochina Voyages. https://www.indochinavoyages.com/travel-blog/myanmar-travel-guide/whats-special-traditional-clothes-myanmar

Traditional Sport

dasalchynna — 2024-08-28 14:55:03 UTC

Shannon O'Donnell. (2012, March 18). Burmese Chinlone Game Played in Burma (Myanmar). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbVV7Ngl76s