Culture Views on Health

Jessica Knott UOP HCA 230 04-19-2010 Cultural Views on Health Health can have different meanings to different people and in their cultures around the world. A person’s health is not any different when it comes to an individuals, nor does it matter what part of the world they are in but they still have the same thing in common physical, mental, social, and spiritual beings. A person’s health refers to how they feel and also how they relate to their environment and the people that share that environment with them. People’s lives and morals are a combination of the different areas is what makes them who they are, and this does not change because of the area where they are from. A person who is happy and has a healthy lifestyle has created a healthy balance of their physical, social, spiritual, and emotional part of their life. “There are different ways of looking at health. Every culture has a concept of health that is probably different to that of others” (Capdevila, 2006) A person’s upbringing or background can affect the medical treatment they receive. Some cultures believe in holistic medicine. Some cultures treat their people with such practices without seeking treatment from a clinic or facility. The ethnic, cultural, and personal belief of an individual can affects the ability to receive care. For example in China herbal and holistic medicines are use everyday to help treat patients. These remedies have been used for centuries and continue to be passed down from generation to generation. Now Asian Americans have faith and believe in plants and their healing properties. The new fad in American culture of wellness and feeling the harmony between the mind, body, and spirit has its roots also in the Chinese culture. American culture looks for healing in new modern techniques of medicine and in technology. Americans usually say that we treat the disease and not the patient because we don’t have a patient without the disease. A lot of people

References: Capdevila, G (2006, May 25) BOLIVIA: Wanted - Healthcare Adapted To Indigenous Cultures. Retrieved on April 11, 2009 from http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=33372 Cantore, J (2008) Modern Nursing, Traditional Beliefs. Minority nurses can play a crucial role in helping Asian patients bridge the gap between East and West, old and new. Retrieved on April 10, 2009 from http://www.minoritynurse.com Durand E, Logan C, Carruth A. (2007). Association of maternal obesity and childhood obesity: implications for healthcare providers . Journal of Community Health Nursing. 24 (3): 167-76 (journal article - review, tables/charts). Retrieved on April 11, 2009 from EBSCOhost database.