Write 5 pages with APA style on Cultural Barriers to Health Care. The cultural beliefs are determined by society’s view on health and wellness, religion, medication, sexuality, and childbirth as well as food beliefs and diet. For instance, other cultures do not believe in medication or hospitalization instead they believe in traditional medication such as the use of herbs to cure diseases. Others believe that illness comes as a result of supernatural phenomena whereas believing that illnesses can only be cured through spiritual intervention. Study shows that societies with minimal formal education especially in third world countries are affected since they do not have a vivid comprehension of how the body works (Driscoll & Nagel, 2008).
These social-cultural forces have a major effect on access to healthcare in different societies especially in children and women in developing countries. All cultures have systems of health beliefs that explain illnesses, their causes, diagnosis, how they can be treated or cured, and who should be involved in the treatment process (Andrulis & Brach, 2007). Cultures, therefore, determine the patience compliance to diagnosis and medication processes which as a result affects the overall wellness of that society. An example of such cultures is those from certain subpopulations in India and Pakistan where the societies there are reluctant to accept a diagnosis of severe emotional and mental illnesses because they believe that it reduces the chances of other members of the family getting married (Silva, 1994).
Similarly, in the Vietnamese culture mental and physical illnesses are explained as a harmonious balance between poles of hot and cold that govern the functions of the body. As a result, the Vietnamese do not readily accept the modern mental treatment of counseling, especially where self-disclosure practices. Russian immigrants also view western medical care with a lot of mistrust since they do not believe in the disclosure of personal information to other people (Silva, 1994). As a result, Russian patients find it difficult to openly disclose personal information and medical concerns to physicians or to question the physicians.
Order an Essay Now & Get These Features For Free:
Turnitin Report
Formatting
Title Page
Citation
Outline
