Culture & Physical Health Flashcards
Biomedical model
disease results from identifiable cause, genetic or development abnormality/physical insult.
Biopsychosocial model
biologica, social and psychological factors are important for health
Holistic
o provide support that looks at the whole person, not just their mental health needs.
3 main techniques of Ngangkari healers
a smoking ceremony, bush medicines and spirit realignment.
The (Ngangkari) healer identifies where the…
issues are and through a specific method of healing called panpooni, takes away the pain/blockage/obstruction with their hands.
3 indicators of health worldwide
Life expectancy
Infant mortality
Subjective well-being
Life expectancy
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.
Infant Mortality
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.
Subjective Well-Being
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.
Healthism
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.
Complex-gene diseases
Cancer
Higher blood pressure & heart disease
Diabetes and obesity
Human genome project
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
More genetic variations exist w/in “racial” and cultural groups than…
between them
Multilevel, interdisciplinary research efforts study how…
genes interact w/environments on cellular, individual, group and societal levels.
Cultural neuroscience
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.
Psychosocial influences on physical health and disease
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
Social isolation & morality
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.
Cultural Dimensions and Diseases
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.
4 cultural tendencies that influence disease
Individualism vs. Collectivism (IC),
Power Distance (PD),
Uncertainty Avoidance (UA),
Masculinity (MA).
Cultural dimension: Higher Power Distance & its rates of disease:
higher rates of infections and parasitic diseases
Lower rates of malignant neoplasm, circulatory disease and heart disease
Cultural dimension: Higher Individualism & its rates of disease:
Higher rates of malignant neoplasms and heart disease.
Lower rates of infections and parasitic disease, cerebrovascular disease
Cultural dimension: Higher Uncertainty & its rates of disease:
Higher rates of heart disease
Cultural dimension: Avoidance & its rates of disease:
Lower rates of cerebrovascular disease and respiratory disease
Cultural dimension: Higher Masculinity & its rates of disease:
Higher rates of cerebrovascular disease
Acculturation
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.
Immigrant Paradox
Immigrants doing better on many health measures despite the hardships
Researchers attribute this to health behaviours, social support, and immigrant selectivity.
A country’s health care delivery system comprises:
Social and economic development
Technological advances and availability
Influence of neighbouring and collaborating countries
Types of national healthcare systems:
Entrepreneurial (American)
Welfare-oriented
Comprehensive
Socialist
