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Culture and health

Q: Perception of illness and perception of disease:

Perception of illness Perceptions of illness vary considerably across culture groups. What one culture may view as entirely normal, another culture may see as an affliction. Perceptions of disease Medical anthropologists, define disease as ‘malfunctioning or maladaptation of biologic and psychophysiological processes in the individual. Illness, however, is different. Illness represents personal, interpersonal, and cultural reactions to disease or discomfort.

6 important questions on Culture and health

Perception of illness and perception of disease:

Perception of illness
Perceptions of illness vary considerably across culture groups. What one culture may view as entirely normal, another culture may see as an affliction.
Perceptions of disease
Medical anthropologists, define disease as ‘malfunctioning or maladaptation of biologic and psychophysiological processes in
the individual. Illness, however, is different. Illness represents
personal, interpersonal, and cultural reactions to disease or discomfort.

What are folk illnesses?

Many cultures also have what are called folk illnesses. These are local, cultural interpretations of physical states that people
perceive to be illnesses without a physiological cause. People believe it is an important illness and any efforts to improve the health of the community will have to consider such beliefs.

The prevention of illness in countries:

Many cultures, have taboos or behaviours and practices that they forbid people from engaging in if they are to stay healthy. A large number of taboos concern what not to eat during pregnancy. There is also a wide array of ritual practices that people undergo to avoid illness.

Improving health behaviours: het ecologische perspectief:

Health related behaviours are affected by, and affect, multiple levels of influence: intrapersonal of individual factors, interpersonal factors, institutional factors, community factors and public policy factors
Behaviour both influences and is influenced by the social environment in which it occurs

What is the health belief model:

The premises of this model are that people’s health behaviours depend on their perceptions of the following:
- Their likelihood of getting the illness
- The severity of the illness if they get it
- The benefits of engaging in behaviour that will prevent the illness
- The barriers to engaging in preventive behaviour

What are several approaches to behaviour change?

- Community mobilization
- Mass media
- Social media
- Social marketing
- Health education
- Cash transfers: incentives to encourage behaviour change
- Achieving success in health promotion