Cultural Views on Health

Cultural Views on Health

Culture can be viewed as the common beliefs and traditions of a society or community of people. People from different cultures have their own views and beliefs on health and disease. Culture is a very important part of healthcare because it can affect the way a person is treated and the way they view how healthcare should work. We will discuss the Chinese and Hispanic cultures to gain an idea of how cultural views on healthcare differ and the many ways that it can affect their lives.

The Chinese culture is one of the worlds oldest and most complex. Many people of the Chinese culture practice TCM, or Traditional Chinese Medicine. Traditional medicine practices, with many branches have a wide range in China. Amongst these practices are Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, food/dietary therapy, cupping, moxibustion, Gua Sha, Qigong and both Tui na and Shiatsu massage. According to www.theepochtimes.com, traditional Chinese Medicine is based on the concept that the human body is a small universe with a set of complete and sophisticated interconnected systems, and that those systems usually work in balance to maintain the healthy function of the human body. In China, TCM and maintaining health are very strong cultural beliefs, but disregarding or disrespecting these beliefs may lead to distrust.

Considering the views of TCM and health as organic, elements of human studies, in addition to natural and social science have been incorporated into the traditional Chinese health regimen. In China, herbal remedies are used to treat illness and energy imbalances. According to www.amfoundation.org, Chinese medicine contains the use of herbs that are derived from plants, animals and minerals. The most common plant-derived herbs used in this culture are ginseng and ginger. However, minerals and animal parts such as bear gall bladder, deer antlers and oyster shells are also used. In China, herbs in powder form are also boiled and made into tea. For...