Asthma in Haiti- Oppression

All of my experiences in Haiti have not been what I had initially thought they would be. Actually, I had not anticipated or expected anything when I came here. I figured going in without any expectations would be the best was for me to be satisfied with my experience. My experience has exceeded everything that I had or not anticipated except one.....

The topic of Asthma in Haiti

Being that this is my master's topic, I am taking it very seriously and have thought day and night of how to bring health education to HAC the same way that St. Christopher's for Children brought asthma education and awareness to their asthma patients. I figured giving educational sessions on how to properly use medication, supply an understanding of the science behind asthma, how a child may have asthma, and even home remedies to help reduce asthma attacks such as hypoallergenic pillow case covers or not sleeping with the family dog or cat. However, a one size solution does not exist. What works for education in the United States WILL NOT work in Haiti or at HAC. Living here for the past month, I have not realized this fact until NOW! Isn't this what I have been in school for the past 10 months! Didn't they teach that in Public Health 101!?!?! Must have not been there that day! ;) And now it had to hit me square in the face! Right in my face for me to understand the issue with bringing health education and medicine to developing countries and how bringing the western view of medicine to a non-western country will never work.

The director's father of HAC has asthma. I was able to give him a very brief one-on-one interview with him this morning after our run (I run with him most days in the morning!)

I was most curious about how or when he knew he has asthma and when he got diagnosed. This was the story I got...

When his mother was in labor about to give birth to him, her neighbor came to tell her that he had killed her goat because it was roaming around in his crops. His mother was very upset and gave birth to him after learning this news. The emotion that she got when the goat was killed gave him asthma.

And any sort of emotion causes his asthma. Also, a change in weather, dust and rain will sometimes also flare up his asthma. He stops his asthma attack through coconut oil and sometimes avocado oil. He has never been formally diagnosed and has never gone to the ER to help his asthma. He also said it was much worse when he was younger. He also said his asthma was better in Brooklyn (where he lived in the States) because of the cold weather. Very interesting! Some doctors think chronic diseases do not exist in developing countries, especially non industrialized countries. Based off of what I have noticed in this country, I have a hard time agreeing with such statements. It is way to easy to say 'This is a developed countries problem' (It's only noticeable in the States and other western countries because there are doctors and statistics surrounding the problem in developed countries because of healthcare advantages)

Hearing a Haitian talk about asthma like this was not what I had anticipated. Knowing these facts and understanding his understanding makes me re-think all medical and public health studies and practices in developing countries. There are so many religious undertones associated with health knowledge and medicine in Haiti. For foreigners to Haiti, such as myself, it is difficult to fully understand the dynamics of health understanding in Haiti, but it is a crucial step in the process to be successful.

This morning, I left like an American with the label of 'The idiot American'. I cannot believe it has taken me this long to understand the dynamics of asthma in this country. Implementing an educational intervention at HAC will take more knowledge on my part to understand the cultural dynamics of asthma in this country.

My eyes continue to be opened everyday and more aware of differences in understanding especially around health.

"Wherever the art of medicine is loved, there is also love of Humanity." - Hippocrates