Aspects of Culture that Impact Healthcare

The influence that culture has on health is vast. It affects the perception of death, illness, and health, beliefs on the causes of health, approaches to health promotion, how pain and illness are experienced and expressed, where patients choose to access healthcare, and the preferred treatment types. Four aspects of culture that can affect healthcare include language, beliefs about health and illness, pain response, and grief response (Austin & Wetle, 2012).

Language

Language and literacy barriers can result in poor communication between patients and physicians from diverse cultures. For example, a communication gap can prevent seniors and their families from accessing the health information necessary for making informed decisions. These persons may not be aware of where to access the said information in a different language, or they may not know where to find a healthcare practitioner who speaks their language.

Beliefs about Health and Illness

Some cultures believe that illness and health are directly linked to one’s spiritual standing. When one is ill, it means they are not in god’s will and vice versa. Others believe that illness is a result of misalignment between the soul and body, and these can only be restored through interventions such as meditation.

Pain Response

The response to pain depends on factors such as cultural values or devalues on postural mobility, display of emotions, and verbal expression in responding to pain. Some cultures expect one to be extravagant in displaying pain emotion, while others value restraint, stoicism, and playing down pain (Peacock & Patel, 2008).

Grief Responses

In some cultures, a quiet and dignified response to loss is expected, while others openly display their emotions. The emotions while responding to grief may also vary between cultures, with some expecting feelings of sadness or loneliness while others respond in rage or anger.