Essay Sample on Cultural Influences on Health Beliefs and Illness Perception

Culture plays a paramount role in influencing people’s attitudes and perceptions towards health and illness. Furthermore, it is integral to note that different cultures subscribe to different health belief systems to explain the causes of illnesses, the potential treatments, and cures for these illnesses, not to mention the people who should be involved in this process. Most critically, the degree to which a patient perceives health education as affecting a certain level of cultural relevance to them offers a profound influence on the way they receive health and illness information presented to them in addition to their level of willingness when it comes to using this information (Jarvis, 2019). As such, it becomes evident that the health and illness beliefs affiliated with an individual in a specific culture can be very influential when it comes to the assessment process in the way that this individual may respond to health education information, how these beliefs allow them to perceive the different causes of illnesses and how these beliefs guide the individual in the process of seeking treatment for the illnesses. It becomes essential to consider that culture forms a foundational basis of the health and illness belief upheld by individuals in different cultures and serve as a vital element influencing their assessment process. More so, the cultural, as well as the physical needs of a patient, play an essential role in the assessment interview (Jarvis, 2019).

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Culture plays a central role as a source of health and illness beliefs of individuals. This way, an individual relies on these beliefs when dealing with and responding to their health concerns. This significantly impacts the assessment process, especially when it comes to the ways that different cultures allow families and patients to respond to various health concerns. Health and illness beliefs and practices may, for example, influence how an individual reacts to a scheduled and typical format of appointment regarding clinical and emergency services (AAP, 2020) For instance, it is essential to note that the approved and mundane processes involved in the healthcare system in the United States, together with its norms and structures, may appear unaccustomed to individuals hailing from different cultures with regards to their country of origin (AAP, 2020).

Additionally, culture impacts the physical findings of an assessment interview by affecting an individual’s capacity to express pain and respond to the alleviation of that pain. Moreover, health and illness beliefs influence an individual's behavior when it comes to seeking health services (AAP, 2020). Furthermore, different cultures afford different communities varying abilities to perceive pain and understand the healthcare processes involved in relieving pain (AAP, 2020). For example, some cultures consider it honorable when an individual has a high tolerance for pain and include specific behavioral expectations when it comes to expressing pain (AAP, 2020). As such, this may result in variations in the physical findings associated with the assessment interview.

Conclusion

As such, the role of culture, health, and illness beliefs become evident when viewed through the lenses of their contribution to the complex healthcare issue. Cultural barriers add to the complications of how individuals, patients, and families respond to healthcare information, as well as other healthcare interventions afforded to them (Putsch III & Joyce, 1990). The disparities in beliefs varying from one culture to another, indicate an inability to sometimes perceive the benefits of healthcare interventions, primarily due to cultural expectations when it comes to dealing with issues concerning health.

References

AAP. (2020). Culturally Effective Care Toolkit-Chapter 2: Health beliefs and practices. AAP.org. https://www.aap.org/en-us/professional-resources/practice-transformation/managing-patients/Pages/Chapter-2.aspx

Jarvis, C. (2019). Physical Examination and Health Assessment E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences.

Putsch III, R. W., & Joyce, M. (1990). Dealing with patients from other cultures. In Clinical Methods: The History, Physical, and Laboratory Examinations. 3rd edition. Butterworths.