Fijian Culture by

Common Belief: The Healing Narrative

astraus1_ — 2023-10-06 18:19:20 UTC

Knowledge and unseen spiritual/existential power that only healer/elders are able to access

Belief that illness caused by supernatural agents and diseases caused by envy or another emotional origin

To promote and impact health, it is vital that Western medicine and traditional healing is complementary.

Increases likelihood to make informed healthcare decisions

Gender Roles and Stigma Impacts on Physical Activity

astraus1_ — 2023-10-06 18:38:20 UTC

Traditional role of women: expected to stay home and look after the family

Not allowed to associate with men in the village to play sports
Women expected to wear clothing that will not show their whole body
- Decreases mobility for physical activity
Greater risk for co-morbidities associated with being overweight due to lack of adequate activity

The Kinship System  
An essential aspect of life which is the way people interact with each other based on the relationship with each other within the family unit that includes respect and avoidance relationships.

Sources:

astraus1_ — 2023-10-06 18:50:17 UTC

Common Belief: The Healing Narrative
Gender Roles and Stigma Impacts on Physical Activity
Languages of Fiji

1. Fijian
2. Fiji Hindi
3. English

Languages of Fiji

gracemarief2000_ — 2023-10-06 20:46:58 UTC

There are 3 official languages of Fiji:
1. Fijian
2. Fiji Hindi
3. English

Additionally, there are many dialects of Fijian spoken among indigenous Fijians, usually as their first language. Standard Fijian is based on a dialect called Bauan Fijian and is both spoken and written. Fijian is part of the Malayo-Polynesian language family.

Fiji Hindi was the primary language for indentured servants of Indian descent in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Although Fiji Hindi is not a written language, it is still a popular spoken language among Indo-Fijians today.

Although English is the primary language of only 3% of the Fijian population, it is of vital importance for trade and commerce. It also serves as a common language for people of different ethnic backgrounds.

Religion

gracemarief2000_ — 2023-10-06 21:14:38 UTC

Fiji is a predominantly Christian culture with a healthy smattering of Hinduism and a touch of Islam. A 2007 census found the following information regarding religion in Fiji:

- 57% of the population are indigenous Fijians; most of those 57% are Christian

- 37% of the population is of Indian descent; most of those 37% are Hindu, about 20% of the 57% are Muslim, and roughly 6% of the 57% are Christian.

- A very small percentage of the population is made up of persons of Chinese descent; the majority of this population is Christian as well.

- The remaining population is a mix of European-Fijian descent, and this subsection too, is predominantly Christian.

Immigration Trends

rwendt4 — 2023-10-07 14:57:20 UTC

From 1987-2001, about 10% of the Fijian population immigrated to countries like Australia and New Zealand. This was likely due to political instability and wage differential. (Narayan & Smyth, 2005)

As of now, there is a population increase over the course of five years, from 918,465 in 2019 to 936,375 in 2023. This increase in population can be attributed to the high birth rate along with the low death rate and a low migration rate. The birth rate is superseding the summation of migration and death rates.

Leptospirosis: Nursing Considerations and Interventions

smeyer7_ — 2023-10-07 17:01:17 UTC

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that thrives in the tropical climate. the bacteria is spread through the urine of affected animals which can get into the soil or water. Farmers, mine workers, and military personnel are at higher risk due to their occupations. Common symptoms in humans include: high fever, chills, muscle aches, rash, diarrhea, jaundice, and abdominal pain.
Nursing considerations:
1. Measuring body temperature- any body temperature above 100.4°F indicates nursing intervention
2. Monitor kidney function/ urine output- Urine output determines the status of the patients kidneys. If urine output has declined a Blood test to determine the glomerular filtration rate will determine how well the kidneys are filtering.
3. Assessing pain level- With muscle aches, rash, or abdominal pain we want to monitor the patients pain level as we can provide medication to decrease the patients pain.
Nursing interventions:
1. Patient education- store food away from animals, avoid swimming or walking in contaminated waters, and wear protective clothing in agricultural areas. Also educate patients on the antibiotics used to treat Leptospirosis
2. Medication administration- explain medication to patient and any side effects they should be aware of. Administer proper medication for pain or fever or treatment of disease

Tuberculosis: Nursing Considerations and Interventions

smeyer7_ — 2023-10-07 17:43:02 UTC

Tuberculosis is highly contagious, it is caused by a bacteria that usually attacks the lungs but can affect any part of the body. This disease can be spread through the air from person to person. Symptoms include; Coughing up blood, weight loss, chest pain, fever, chills, night sweats, weakness, bad cough, or fatigue. Risk factors are; having HIV, alcohol or dug abuse, weak immune system.
Nursing Considerations:
1. Monitoring respirations- if the respirations are below 12 the nurse should manage the patient airway
2. Monitoring adverse reactions- patients will be on a combination or antibacterial medications for a period of 6-12 months.
3. Nutrition- Create a nutrition plan with the patient to aid in immune support and weight management.
Nursing Interventions:
1. Maintain open airway for patient- TB affects the lungs and can cause bronchial edema which can cause difficulty in breathing.
2.Patient education- educate patient on adverse effects of all medications they will be on, and teach patient to minimize exposure to others.

Common Diseases in Fiji

smeyer7_ — 2023-10-07 19:22:56 UTC

Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)
Chickenpox (Varicella)
Hepatitis A and B
Zika Virus
Dengue Fever
Typhoid Fever
Leptospirosis
Tuberculosis

Questions for our audience:

gracemarief2000_ — 2023-10-08 23:11:31 UTC

1. Does your culture use medicinal plants to treat illnesses, or have you personally used plants for your health?
2. What is your favorite interesting fact about Fiji?
3. How can you as a nurse empower your patients to feel in charge of their care protocols while honoring their cultural background?
4. Did any of this information on Fijan culture surprise you? Or did you already have a good knowlegde of Fijjan culure?

Specific Health Trends Including Complementary and Alternative Medicine Commonly Utilized

asmith103_ — 2023-10-09 21:22:02 UTC

Complementary medicine is used in addition to standard treatments, whereas alternative medicine is the replacement therapy of standard treatments. In Fiji, they tend to use more of an alternative medicine approach by using medicinal plants and herbs to treat illnesses.

Medicinal plants are a natural sources of active compounds with potential therapeutic benefits in treating a variety of illnesses.
Fijian people use medicinal plants for the management/prevention of Type 2 diabetes mellitus and associated complications.
The most common medicinal plants, Botebotekoro (Ageratum conyzoides) and Totodro (Centella asiatica), are used in all districts in Fiji to treat various health problems.
Complementary healing practices also include health practices, approaches, knowledge, and beliefs incorporating indigenous or Aboriginal healing and wellness while using ceremonies; plant-, animal-, or mineral-based medicines; energy therapies.
Energy therapies are based on the belief that there are energy fields that flow through and around your body, and when energy is freely flowing, you have a good emotional, physical, and spiritual health.

Interesting Facts

rwendt4 — 2023-10-09 22:56:07 UTC

A few interesting facts and fun laws about Fiji:

1. It is possible to be in two different time zones on the Fijian island of Taveuni because it spreads across an international dateline
2. Out of 28 airports in Fiji, only 4 have paved runways
3. Cannibalism used to be a common practice there
4. Conservative dressing is a must in the villages
5. 223 of the 333 Fijian islands are uninhabited
6. Wearing a hat and sunnies in a village is not culturally appropriate