Culture & Physical Health

Question 1

Biomedical model

Answer 1

disease results from identifiable cause, genetic or development abnormality/physical insult.

Question 2

Biopsychosocial model

Answer 2

biologica, social and psychological factors are important for health

Question 3

Holistic

Answer 3

o provide support that looks at the whole person, not just their mental health needs.

Question 4

3 main techniques of Ngangkari healers

Answer 4

a smoking ceremony, bush medicines and spirit realignment.

Question 5

The (Ngangkari) healer identifies where the…

Answer 5

issues are and through a specific method of healing called panpooni, takes away the pain/blockage/obstruction with their hands.

Question 6

3 indicators of health worldwide

Answer 6

Life expectancy
Infant mortality
Subjective well-being

Question 7

Life expectancy

Answer 7

Life expectancy: average number of years person expected to live from birth.

Drastic differences in life expectancy due to the differences in wealth and resources of country.

Disparities in life expectancies can be greater within one country.

Health disparities occur in pluralistic countries where ethnic majority individuals tend to have longer life expectancies than ethnic minority individuals.

Question 8

Infant Mortality

Answer 8

Infant mortality: # of infant deaths per 1,000 live births
- Large part of differences can be attributed to resources that ensure access to good nutrition, health care and treatment.
- War & natural disasters can impact statistics
- Disparities by ethnic group w/in cultures
- 2x as many Indigenous babies are dying before the age of 1.
- Similar to black babies in the US.

Question 9

Subjective Well-Being

Answer 9

A person’s perception and self-judgement of his/her health and well-being.
Positively related to physical health.
- People reporting higher SWB have stronger immune systems, fewer heart attacks and less artery blockage.
- Tend to engage in healthier lifestyles.
Higher SWB is predicted by material wealth, one’s sense of autonomy and connection to others.

Question 10

Healthism

Answer 10

a view that judges a person’s health based on their behaviours.
It reinforces the idea that each person has a personal and moral responsibility to be healthy. But health is complex and based on many factors outside of personal choices and behavior.

Question 11

Complex-gene diseases

Answer 11

Cancer
Higher blood pressure & heart disease
Diabetes and obesity

Question 12

Human genome project

Answer 12

Identified all 20,00-25,000 genes in human DNA
Sparked interest in checking whether:
- Racial, ethnic or cultural groups differ in their genetic makeup
- Some groups are more genetically vulnerable to certain diseases compared to others
- e.g. sickle cell amenia

Question 13

More genetic variations exist w/in “racial” and cultural groups than…

Answer 13

between them

Question 14

Multilevel, interdisciplinary research efforts study how…

Answer 14

genes interact w/environments on cellular, individual, group and societal levels.

Question 15

Cultural neuroscience

Answer 15

Combines recent advances in neuroscience with principles of cultural psychology and population genetics.
Helps understand the dynamic relations between culture, behaviour, mind, brain and genes.

Question 16

Psychosocial influences on physical health and disease

Answer 16

Linkage between psychosocial factors and health/disease states
Steptoe and colleagues: links between negative life events and poor health
Health disparities: differences in health outcomes by groups, w/one group showing worse health outcomes
- Result from social factors
SES consistently associated w/health outcomes
- Perception of socioeconomic status is more powerful than the actual status.
Racism and discrimination
- “perceived” racism is a psychosocial stressor
- Consistently associated with poorer physical health in ethnic minorities
- Racial profiling can lead to a different level of medical care

Question 17

Social isolation & morality

Answer 17

Individuals w/few social ties suffer highest morality rate; people w/most social ties had lowest rate.

Loneliness = negative impact

Alameda county study: first to demonstrate enormous role that psychosocial factors play in maintenance of physical health.

Perception of having few social supports, or feeling lonely, is important factor.

Question 18

Cultural Dimensions and Diseases

Answer 18

Cultural factors contribute to diseases

“most” traditionally Japanese: lowest incidence of coronary heart disease and vice versa.

The researchers weren’t Japanese, yet they were deciding what was traditionally Japanese (iffy).

European Americans had highest rate of heart attacks; Trappist Monks lowest rate.

Speculated that this could be due to (social) support/isolation: most important factor.

Question 19

4 cultural tendencies that influence disease

Answer 19

Individualism vs. Collectivism (IC),
Power Distance (PD),
Uncertainty Avoidance (UA),
Masculinity (MA).

Question 20

Cultural dimension: Higher Power Distance & its rates of disease:

Answer 20

higher rates of infections and parasitic diseases
Lower rates of malignant neoplasm, circulatory disease and heart disease

Question 21

Cultural dimension: Higher Individualism & its rates of disease:

Answer 21

Higher rates of malignant neoplasms and heart disease.
Lower rates of infections and parasitic disease, cerebrovascular disease

Question 22

Cultural dimension: Higher Uncertainty & its rates of disease:

Answer 22

Higher rates of heart disease

Question 23

Cultural dimension: Avoidance & its rates of disease:

Answer 23

Lower rates of cerebrovascular disease and respiratory disease

Question 24

Cultural dimension: Higher Masculinity & its rates of disease:

Answer 24

Higher rates of cerebrovascular disease

Question 25

Acculturation

Answer 25

Process of change and adaptation due to contact w/new culture.

Plays a complex role in health-related behaviours and outcomes.
Berry’s model of acculturation addresses to what extent people are involved w/ the heritage culture and dominant culture.

Question 26

Immigrant Paradox

Answer 26

Immigrants doing better on many health measures despite the hardships
Researchers attribute this to health behaviours, social support, and immigrant selectivity.

Question 27

A country’s health care delivery system comprises:

Answer 27

Social and economic development

Technological advances and availability

Influence of neighbouring and collaborating countries

Question 28

Types of national healthcare systems:

Answer 28

Entrepreneurial (American)

Welfare-oriented

Comprehensive

Socialist