6. LAY HEALTH BELIEFS TUTORIAL

Question 1

1. Assuming that you have not done any Sociology, what would you do in order to learn more and understand this case well?

Answer 1

• we can use Social Imagination
• this is when you are open minded enough to approach every situation as new
• as well as to formulate radical questions to enhance your understanding of the topic
• the questions you should ask are:
  - what is the evil eye
  - how does the evil eye work
  - is the evil eye common in your community or
  culture
  - how did you first start believing in the evil eye
  - have you experienced this kind of curse before
  - how long have you had this condition
  - how do you believe you can get rid of the evil eye
• you must learn about the importance of her belief in her life
• her culture is something she has been immersed in for her whole life, it cannot simply be devalued and overlooked

Question 2

2. Which beliefs about health and illness can identify in Agueda’s case?

Answer 2

• Health as a Reserve:
  - she is healthy enough to surpass her physical symptoms
• Health as a Function:
  - she feels healthy because she can still accomplish
  her everyday tasks and function as she did before
  her condition

Question 3

3. What are the general areas of study in Medical Sociology?
   Which of these can you identify in Agueda’s case?

Answer 3

• Medical Sociology focuses on three categories:
  1: Disease as a Social Experience
  (not relevant to this case)

2: The Social Forces that Influence Health
(her ethnicity, her immigration status, etc)

3: Socio-Cultural Values that Shape our Behaviour and
our Health Behaviour
(her cultural beliefs and how they affect her approach to
biomedical advice and help)

Question 4

4. What steps should you take in order to communicate with Agueda effectively?
   Which skill best represents such an approach?

Answer 4

• you do not approach her situation with any preconceived biases about her beliefs
• you do not agree with her outlook, but you understand and respect it
• you are open minded and inquisitive
• you show interest and ask questions to gain knowledge and perspective on the topic
• this allows you to be empathetic towards her
• kindly and simply outline the medical viewpoint and how treatment can help her even with her evil eye issue
• explain your treatment approach in a way that is not intimidating or difficult to understand
• because you understood her, she will try to understand you
• you have given value to her belief, therefore you have validated a crucial part of her identity
• she feels seen and understood, and so she will try to understand you and your advice
• this will open her up to making a shared decision with you about her treatment plan
• you have not been forceful or frigid

THIS IS CALLED CULTURAL COMPETENCE