Written by Freda Pan
Introduction
Culture is defined as a pattern of thinking and behaviour that is common among a certain group of people or society. The ideologies and values that are shared within this group are constantly being altered by the internal influences of societies advancing technology. From everyone’s vast variance in cultural identity and beliefs, culture affects one’s health and can lead to the final decision on their treatment plan. A few examples of cultural identity are religion, moral values, and other factors based on the rights and freedoms of a person.
Since our identity is significantly shaped and influenced by our culture, it inevitably acts as a determinant - a factor that may affect an individual’s health - in health care in several ways:
1. Stereotypes and Stigmas
In this case, many stereotypes and stigmas act as a determinant of healthcare. In particular, this can result in negative outcomes from members of underrepresented minority groups. In a study conducted by The Institute of Medicine, it was reported that members of minority ethnicities had a higher mortality rate for chronic diseases and otherwise non-life-threatening illnesses.
This is seen across the Black diaspora in the West, as these individuals are known to receive a worse quality of care due to racial bias. For example, an African-American woman in comparison to a white American woman of the same social class and wealth is subject to receive a worse quality of care in healthcare facilities. The implicit prejudice of health care workers, such as doctors and nurses, due to their skin colour often affects the overall health care they receive. They are more prone to receive an improper diagnosis, experience pain management techinques rather than actual treatment, and less than optimal care overall.
This major deterrent is a result of differences in culture. Doctors and patients come from different backgrounds and religions that influence their patterns of thinking and values. As a result, healthcare providers are prone to bias, whether it be implicit or explicit. Bias causes medical professionals to have negative views of individuals when they are in a position where they are supposed to be neutral and whether they know it or not.
2. Toxic Cultural Behaviours
In many different cultures, there are preconceived notions and myths taught by non-medical professionals that lead individuals to believe facts about personal health that is not necessarily true. One prime example of common misconceptions that inhibit proper care is the stigma of mental health in Asian culture. More often than not, any mention of mental illness is suppressed or ignored, and as a result, people with these issues are not treated properly. To cope, those dealing with mental distress or mental illness turn to dangerous alternatives such as self-harm and drug abuse. In Asian culture, it is almost taboo to speak of mental health because it is ingrained into their culture that mental and emotional disabilities are a result of a poor upbringing or hereditary flaws. Oftentimes, Asian children lack the necessary emotional support in their daily lives and are not taught how to properly handle their struggles.
The determinant in this case is the fear of talking about personal issues, and as a result, they are not given the proper care. Ultimately, individuals of these ethnicities are left with harmful coping mechanisms and are not able to properly deal with their issues.
Conclusion
Since humans are an adaptative species, our societal culture is always changing. However, certain stereotypes and biases still exist that can easily become determinants in healthcare. It is a medical professional’s duty to properly care for the lives of all human beings; to do so, the general population must be properly educated on racial bias and evidence-based science to deter the use of misinformation that is communicated through our cultural systems.
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