Poster #78 - The Role of Familismo: Turning Fear Into Power

• In Event: Poster Session 12

Abstract

COVID-19 has laid bare the structural inequities that low-income communities of color face. Throughout the pandemic COVID-19 hospitalizations remained three times higher for Latinos when compared to White counterparts (CDC, 2022). Yet, public health recommendations for preventing the spread—staying at home and social distancing—added another layer to the health disparities, socioeconomic disadvantages, and policy barriers experienced by communities of color (House, 2015). Specifically, by not considering the housing contexts of Latinos, who often occupy smaller homes with more family members (Cohen & Casper, 2002), hold essential worker roles (Hammonds & Kerrissey, 2020), and struggle with the realities of living with lower incomes (Duleep & Dowhan 2002), these recommendations failed to address the risks tied to family group contagion. Nonetheless, guided by a resilience-based approach (Ogbu, 1981), we employed a mixed methods design to gauge the effects of COVID-19 on Latinos whilst exploring the cultural and social influences that serve as protective factors in the face of structural barriers.

Quantitative data was gathered in April 2021 through an online survey of 1595 Latinos from the U.S and Puerto Rico. Initial analyses were then used to design a semi-structured interview protocol. The resulting qualitative data was obtained from one-on-one interviews conducted fall of 2021 with 60 US-based Latinos which analyze how cultural values impact their decision making. First, we explored how familismo, an ideology that family is a priority, impacts Latinos’ willingness to abide by public health recommendations, concern for burdening family, and interest in vaccinating. Second, we examined changes in adherence to cultural values when there is discordance between individualistic and collectivist behaviors. Finally, given social distancing recommendations, we explored the impact of multigenerational living when compared with living alone or with immediate family.

Results from the quantitative sample show that participants’ collectivist ideals were positively correlated with the adoption of social distancing measures and a change to how participants celebrated important events. However, at that time only 39% of participants were willing to receive a vaccine despite 88% fearing virus exposure. Likewise, interview results point to the power of familismo. Even though most families experienced job loss or reduced work hours and many individuals fell sick, they supported one another emotionally and financially and encouraged family members to turn their fear of the virus towards a desire to receive protection. Together the datasets show that while participants feared contracting or being judged for getting COVID, the interviews highlight the role of familial reassurance—being told that it is ok, it’s not your fault, and we’ll get through this together. In a participant’s words, "I just felt really bad just because I did spread it to my parents and they got sick worse than I did…but they were just worried about getting better they didn't feel any type of hatred or anger towards me, which was amazing…” These integrated results illustrate the why/how often missing from quantitative data and show that despite the difficulties brought about by COVID-19 there is strength in the values of Latino culture.

Author

• Ana Patricia Esqueda, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
  Presenting Author