
Treatment providers must clearly understand how cultural background affects addiction treatment. Factors such as faith, family, language, and traditions impact how people access and utilize treatment services. Faith Faith and spiritual beliefs are central to many different cultural groups.
How does culture affect the care of patients?
Jan 01, 2008 · The role of culture in substance use and abuse . Sociocultural beliefs can shape the approach to and behavior regarding substance use and abuse. Culture plays a central role in forming the expectations of individuals about potential problems they may face with drug use. 1 For many social groups, this may provide a protective factor. An example is the use of alcohol …
How does culture affect the way we respond to medications?
Other Things that Culture Affect acceptance of the doctors’ diagnosis how a person accepts preventative healthcare methods such as vaccines, screening tests, birth control, prenatal care perceiving how a person can handle a specific disease perception of who should be involved in death and dying use ...
What role does culture play in mental health?
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What is culture and how does it affect us?
“Culture works at all levels,” says Dr. Arthur Kleinman, professor of medical anthropology and psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, in the New York Times article, “ Bridging the Culture Gap.” “It affects health disparities, communication and interactions in the doctor-patient relationship, the illness experience, and health care outcomes.”

What ways culture influences medical treatments?
How does culture inform treatment?
How cultural differences can impact the effectiveness of therapy?
Does culture influence whether we seek treatment?
What is culturally responsive treatment?
What is cultural competence and how does it impact on addiction treatment?
How do cultural barriers affect therapy?
What are some cultural issues in therapy?
What is cultural therapy?
How culture influences your mental health?
How does culture influence anxiety?
How does culture influence psychology?
How does culture affect substance abuse?
Culture plays a central role in forming the expectations of individuals about potential problems they may face with drug use. 1 For many social groups, this may provide a protective factor.
What is culture in psychology?
Dwight Heath1 offers a simple definition: "It [culture] is a system of patterns of belief and behavior that shape the worldview of the member of a society. As such, it serves as a guide for action, a cognitive map, and a grammar for behavior.". There have been numerous definitions of culture.
What is the goal of a clinician?
The goal of the clinician should be to uncover sociocultural issues that will affect acceptance, retention, and ultimately, treatment outcome. Access to treatment is facilitated by locating treatment facilities in easily accessible geographic areas.
How long have alcohol and drugs been around?
Alcohol and many other drugs have been used for thousands of years. Alcoholic beverages have been fermented from an array of plants and fruits since at least 4000 bc. Both wine and beer were first made at about the same time in what are now Iraq and Iran. 1 Some of the earliest references to the use of alcohol are found in ancient Sumerian clay tablets that contain recipes for the use of wine as a solvent for medications. 2 There is little mention of alcohol use in North America before the arrival of whites. However, there are some isolated reports of alcohol use by the Aztec in Mexico, by the Pima/Papago in the Southwest United States, and by the Aleuts from as far north as Alaska. 3 Alcoholic beverages were introduced in larger quantities during colonial times.
But First, What is Culture?
By definition, culture is the literacy and characteristics of a particular group of people, mostly with their own beliefs and faith regarding religion, cuisine, language, social habits, and many more. Hence, people can describe it as developing a group identity brought up by a unique social system.
Effect of Culture On Health and Wellness
Additionally, culture varies in terms of communication. They are very particular in using words and terminologies regarding decision-making regarding physical health, health information, care provider, healthcare practices, and interventions.
How Doctors Respond
Doctors can most likely interact with their patients better if they understand their beliefs, cultural differences, and practices. Let us discuss how a healthcare professional should handle patients who were firmly influenced by their respective cultures.
How does culture affect health care?
Culture has a significant impact on both diagnoses and treatment options, primarily because of different social beliefs, but also because of biological factors. In order to improve the care of patients in general, health care providers should be aware of the following cultural influences. 1. Family and Community.
Why is culture important in healthcare?
Culture has a significant impact on both diagnoses and treatment options, primarily because of different social beliefs , but also because of biological factors. In order to improve the care of patients in general, health care providers should be aware of ...
Do genders have different beliefs?
Women, for example, may request less invasive treatments to make them more comfortable . Likewise, gender roles within relationships can often play a role in hindering treatment. One partner in the relationship may be dominant and believe it’s his/her job to make all of the decisions.
Do Caucasians take prescriptions?
Therefore, they are much more likely to take their medications as prescribed. Others cultural groups, such as African Americans and Native Americans, may doubt the need for such medication and stop taking it prematurely.
Is religion a hobby?
Religion. For the truly zealous, religion is not just a hobby. It’s a way of life, and that can add barriers to typical treatments. Jews, for example, abstain from certain foods because of their religion, and therefore there will be dietary preferences to consider when outlining any sort of nutritional plan.
How does culture affect health?
Arthur Kleinman, professor of medical anthropology and psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, in the New York Times article, “Bridging the Culture Gap.” “It affects health disparities, communication and interactions in the doctor-patient relationship, the illness experience, and health care outcomes.”
How to achieve cultural competency in medicine?
Awareness is the first step to achieving cultural competency in your practice. Doctors need to realize that they also bring their own cultural context to patient relationships, even if they don’t realize it. For example, in modern medicine, sometimes the focus can be more on the disease than the person with the illness.
How much did the Hispanic population grow in 2010?
According to the most recent census data, the Hispanic population grew by 43 percent between 2000 and 2010, as did the the Asian population, which increased faster than any other major race group during that time. Religious diversity is increasing as well.
What is sociocultural perspective?
The sociocultural perspective looks at you, your behaviors, and your symptoms in the context of your culture and background. For example, José is an 18-year-old Hispanic male from a traditional family. José comes to treatment because of depression. During the intake session, he reveals that he is gay and is nervous about telling his family.
Who is the founder of Sandy Hook Promise?
In her blog, Suzy DeYoung (2013), co-founder of Sandy Hook Promise (the organization parents and concerned others set up in the wake of the school massacre) speaks to treatment perceptions and what happens when children do not receive the mental health treatment they desperately need.
How old is Lashawn?
1. Lashawn is a 24-year-old African American female. For years she has been struggling with bulimia. She knows she has a problem, but she is not willing to seek mental health services. What are some reasons why she may be hesitant to get help?
How do cultural differences affect patients?
Cultural differences affect patients‘ attitudes about medical care and their ability to understand, manage, and cope with the course of an illness, the meaning of a diagnosis, and the consequences of medical treatment. Patients and their families bring culture specific ideas and values related to concepts of health and illness, ...
How does culture influence health beliefs?
How culture influences health beliefs. All cultures have systems of health beliefs to explain what causes illness, how it can be cured or treated, and who should be involved in the process. The extent to which patients perceive patient education as having cultural relevance for them can have a profound effect on their reception to information ...
What do Native Americans believe?
Native Americans also place great value on family and spiritual beliefs. They believe that a state of health exists when a person lives in total harmony with nature. Illness is viewed not as an alteration in a person’s physiological state, but as an imbalance between the ill person and natural or supernatural forces.
Is mental health culturally sensitive?
There are many mental health professionals and clinics that are striving to be culturally sensitive. In other words, services that are open to assessing anxiety and depression in many ways and that help the person find the right treatment that aligns with their culture can be found.
Can anxiety be expressed in words?
In some other cultures, anxiety and depression might not even be expressed in words. It can take the form of physical symptoms, such as headaches, backaches or stomach discomfort. Sadness, fear and preoccupation can be channeled through physical symptoms.
