Readers interested in Santeria are referred to the excellent Pasquali article listed in references. The extended family is idealized, but in many cases, the nuclear family is the basic unit of social structure. Men usually have the dominant role, but many Cuban women are outspoken and assertive in public and private. Age, social status, and education are respected. Health Beliefs and Practices Traditional Cuban culture holds mind, body, and spirit are inextricably intertwined.
Health is viewed as a sense of well-being, freedom from discomfort, and a robust appearance.
Traditionally, many Cubans believe that moderate obesity indicates good health and thinness indicates poor health. Meat is a valued part of the Cuban diet. Infants and children are often comforted with food and plump infants are viewed as healthy. While biomedical or allopathic medical practices are widespread in Cuba and germ theory is accepted and understood by most Cubans, traditional and other theories of illness causality are also incorporated in health beliefs and practices. Stress is thought to cause a variety of physical and mental health problems.