M3s2 Cultural Influences On Health

Question 1

Ideology

Answer 1

What we do, and why we do it

Question 2

Cosmology

Answer 2

How the world works

Question 3

What culture

Answer 3

-shared set of beliefs, ideas, values and behaviours
-forms basis of group’s identify, as members typically share ideology and cosmology
-can also be described as ideology linked to behaviour
-transimitted across generations (vertical) and transmitted through cohorts (horizontal)
-malleable, Dynamic and responsive to external stimuli

Question 4

Ethnicity compared to culture

Answer 4

Related but not identical
Ex. “Hispanic” ethnically includes Mexican, Cuban, Salvadoran, Guatemalan, Venezuelan etc. that is, individuals who all may have different cultures

Question 5

Active cognition and relation to culture

Answer 5

-culture doesn’t need to engage the active cognition of people in order for it to influence peoples lives
-marriage rites, funeral rites, food habits etc. all cultural elements which embodied through indirect learning from elders, family members, and other cultural leaders
-members of cultural group may or may not be aware that it influences their actions and beliefs

Question 6

Health behaviours and culture

Answer 6

-association between individual lifestyle factors or behaviours and social determinants
Ex. Beliefs and practices of individuals and family from different ethnic and cultural groups can affect health behaviours
Factor examples:
-nutrition and eating practices
-gender roles and activities
-tobacco or alcohol use
-social and sexual relationships and practices
-hygiene practices
-marriage rites
-funeral practices

Question 7

How culture relates to individuals health behaviours

Answer 7

-different cultures have different health practices (ex. Hygiene practices and attitudes towards consuming different foods are closely linked to culture
-culture can affect one’s usage of health services
-culture determines peoples perception of illness (ex. Malaria is prevalent in some parts of Africa that disease is part of the cultural context and may be viewed as normal by some families

Question 8

How culture negatively impacts health

Answer 8

-food preferences like undercooked meats and fishes, unpasteurized milk
-settlement patterns that can increase risk for spread of infectious diseases like plague and cholera
-historical racism/structural violence between cultural groups that can affect marginalized groups’ safety/security and access to services and resources

Question 9

How culture positively impacts health

Answer 9

-Sardinian inverse transhumance which referees to Sardinian cattle grazing patterns that were adaptive to avoid peak mosquito concentrations to migrate rates of malaria
-Vietnamese stilt houses that build on stilt like structures to prop the houses above mosquito flight ceilings which protect people from malaria

Question 10

Additional examples of SDOH

Answer 10

-social connection
-social inclusion and non-discrimination
-income and social protection
-early childhood development
-education
-unemployment and job insecurity
-working life conditions
-access to affordable health services of decent quality