Health and Mental health (W9) Flashcards
What are some cultural differences in the definition of health?
Western countries are influenced by:
- Biomedical model: Views disease to be a result of a specific cause (e.g., genetic or physical injury).
- Biopsychosocial model: Views disease resulting from biological, social, and psychological factors.
Non-Western countries:
- Homeostasis: Maintaining balance and stability through environmental changes.
- Living in harmony with one self and spiritually.
- Healthy body, healthy mind.
What are indicators of health?
Life expectancy: Average years a person lives.
Infant mortality: Number of infant deaths.
- Heavily dependent on availability of resources (health care, medication).
Obesity: Public health concerns.
Subjective Wellbeing: Happiness, perception of one’s health.
- Healthy mind = healthy body.
Does culture result in different responses to medical practices?
During Covid, Westerners displayed more antivax and anti-mask behaviours than those of collectivist cultures.
More tightness = more adherence = less deaths.
What are some differed health risks across cultures?
Individualistic = higher heart diseases than collectivistic, could suggest stronger social bonds = less stress and cardiovascular diseases.
Collectivist = higher parasitic diseases bc they’re near the equator = higher spread.
Mental health defintions can differ across cultures.. Why?
Different cultures may refer to mental health differently. What is seen as ‘normal’ in one culture, may be viewed abnormal in another.
It is important to take into account of cultural norms, values, and beliefs that could influence their definition of health.
For example, in some cultures, mental health includes the ‘spirit’ or ‘energy’ of an individual.
What could be done to make sure mental health can be measured as equal as possible?
Create culture specific measurements.
Be aware of cultural influence and bias.
- Child Behaviour Checklist is used in diverse cultures to access behavioural. emotional, and social problems, but may fail to include culture specific problems (emic).
How does Depression, and ADHD differ in symptoms across cultures?
Depression
Universal: Women = more likely to experience depression. Feelings of sadness.
Cross-Cultural: Variations of stress sources, coping mechanisms can differ.
ADHD
Universal: Lack of attention, impulsive, hyperactive. > boys than girls.
Cross-cultural: causes (being bored) differ and so does treatment. often underdiagnosed.
Conclusion?
Culture can heavily impact on the diagnosis, recognition, and treatment of some health issues, mostly mental health issues.
This is due to differences in perception of disease: some cultures may think a behaviour is normal, whilst some are abnormal.
There can also be implementation of other factors than cause and symptoms, such as spiritual energy and being at ‘peace’.
