Cultural Behaviours and Health Well

8/21/2019 Cultural Behaviours and Health Well

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MONIQUE MAVRONICOLAS

1. Introduction

The main objective of this paper is to n!erstan! the e"ects of !i"erentc#tra# behaviors on hea#th an! $e##%bein&' The aim $i## be to e(p#ore certain

factors $hich ma) bear an impact on the overa## hea#th an! $e##%bein& of

in!ivi!a#s an! these factors ma) inc#!e &enetic inheritance* access to &oo!

+a#it) hea#thcare* the &enera# e(terna# environment* the socio%economic stats

as $e## as other contries an! their attit!es to hea#th' A!!itiona##)* this paper

$i## eva#ate the e"ects of !i"erent perspectives on hea#th an! $e##%bein&'

One can !ra$ a !istinction bet$een ph)sica# hea#th* menta# hea#th an! socia#hea#th' The ,or#! -ea#th Or&ani.ation /,-O0 !ra$s sch a !istinction of menta#

hea#th b) !e1nin& it as bein& a state of $e##%bein&' 2-ea#th is a state of comp#ete

ph)sica#* menta# an! socia# $e##%bein& an! not mere#) the absence of !isease or

in1rmit)'2 /$$$'$ho'int0

C#tre can be !e1ne! as* 3the i!eas* cstoms* an! socia# behavior of a

partic#ar peop#e or societ)4' /o(for!!ictionaries'com0 In terms of the in5ence of

c#tra# behaviors on hea#th an! $e##%bein&* it is e(p#aine! that* 3-ea#th is

!etermine! b) severa# factors inc#!in& &enetic inheritance* persona# behaviors*

access to +a#it) hea#th care* an! the &enera# e(terna# environment /sch as the

+a#it) of air* $ater* an! hosin& con!itions0' In a!!ition* a &ro$in& bo!) of

research has !ocmente! associations bet$een socia# an! c#tra# factors an!

hea#th4' /6er7man an! 8a$achi* 9:::0 /Marmot an! ,i#7inson* 9::;0

2. Factors infuencing health and well-being

2.1 Genetic Inheritance

Or &enes are the 7e) to man) of or ph)sica# appearances* from or noses

to or hips* #ips* hei&ht an! even e)e co#or' ,e inherit these &enes from or

bio#o&ica# parents' Or &enes can a#so p#a) a ro#e $ith re&ar!s to inheritin&

!iseases' One of the most common here!itar) !iseases amon& $hite Cacasians


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pop#ations in ,estern Erope* North America an! Astra#ia is C)stic =ibrosis

/C=0'

C)stic =ibrosis /C=0 a"ects or secretor) an! s$eat an!s* bt most#) a"ects

the #n&s* pancreas* #iver* intestines* sinses an! se( or&ans' C= cases mcs

bi#! p in the breathin& passa&es of the #n&s an! cases infections that often

#ea! to #n& !ama&e' The mcs ma7es it !i>c#t for the pancreas to fnction

correct#) an! this ma7es it har! for the bo!) to absorb ntrients from the foo!'

C= co#! res#t in #ife%threatenin& infections an! serios !i&estion prob#ems'

Un#ess one is not fami#iar /b) $a) of fami#) or frien!s0 $ith C= or C= re#ate!

!iseases* there is evi!ence to s&&est that there is a &enera# #ac7 of 7no$#e!&e

$ithin societ)' The #ac7 of 7no$#e!&e re#atin& to C= an! C=%re#ate! !iseases*

combine! $ith poor access to me!ica# faci#ities* #ea!s to C= bein& hi&h#) n!er%

!ia&nose! in Latin America* Africa an! the In!ian continent' Conse+ent#)* #o$

#ife%e(pectancies are fon! in these re&ions' -o$ever* C= appears to be $e##

!ocmente! in Erope' In =rance* for e(amp#e* 3there is a ver) hi&h inci!ence of

C= in North$est 6rittan) an! a #o$er inci!ence in the Soth4

/http?@@$$$'n#m'nih'&ov@me!#inep#s@enc)@artic#e@:::


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In other contries an! c#tres $e 1n! varios other &enetic !iseases'

Accor!in& to Eanet* 8' Rach* D' /9:::0* certain ethnic &rops carr) &enes for

certain !iseases' The con!ition* at%ris7 pop#ation* an! appro(imate carrier

fre+enc) $ithin the USA are #iste! be#o$?

• Sic7#e Ce## Anemia % African Americans %


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3eop#e in poor contries ten! to have #ess access to hea#th services than those

in better%o" contries* an! $ithin contries* the poor have #ess access to hea#th

services' A#tho&h a #ac7 of 1nancia# resorces or information can create barriers

to accessin& services* the casa# re#ationship bet$een access to hea#th services

an! povert) a#so rns in the other !irection' ,hen hea#th care is nee!e! bt is

!e#a)e! or not obtaine!* peop#eKs hea#th $orsens* $hich in trn #ea!s to #ost

income an! hi&her hea#th care costs* both of $hich contribte to povert)4

/Anna#s of the Ne$ or7 Aca!em) of Sciences Vo#me


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In the U8 /compare! to other contries0 $e are e(treme#) fortnate to

have access to hea#th care ho$ever the accessibi#it) an! +a#it) is sti##

in5ence! b) man) factors'

The N-S $as create! ot of the i!ea that ever)one sho#! have access to

&oo! hea#thcare re&ar!#ess of )or Socioeconomic Stats' 3,hen it $as

#anche! b) the then minister of hea#th* Anerin 6evan* on D#)


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bo!) is a $ho#e* menta# an! ph)sica# is one an! each part of the

bo!) is connecte!'o E(amp#e of the above points?

An in!ivi!a#Ks behavior re5ects on the fami#)* an) i##ness or

menta# i##ness ma) therefor pro!ce shame or &i#t' Thesepatients ma) be re#ctant to !iscss these thin&s !e to the

shame or &i#t !en)in& themse#ves the access to hea#th care

avai#ab#e

• In!iano Often re#ctant to accept an) !ia&nosis of menta# or emotiona#

i##nesses as this co#! re!ce the chances of other members $ithin

the fami#) of &ettin& marrie!

o Often se faith an! spirita# hea#in& rita#s )o&a co#! e#iminatecertain ph)sica# an! menta# i##nesses

o -in!s be#ieve that !isease is !e to oneKs actions in past #ives

!e to 7armao -in!s prefer to !ie at home !e to their re#i&ios rita#s that ma)

nee! to be performe!* this co#! restrict access to #ife savin& hea#th

care

Re#i&ion a#so has an impact on or hea#th* I#ia O' 6as%har7 $rote

3hea#th behaviors /thro&h prescribin& a certain !iet an!@or !iscora&in& the

abse of a#coho#ic bevera&es* smo7in&* etc'* re#i&ion can protect an! promote a

hea#th) #ifest)#e0* socia# spport /peop#e can e(perience socia# contact $ith co%

re#i&ionists an! have a $eb of socia# re#ations that can he#p an! protect

$henever the case0* ps)cho#o&ica# states /re#i&ios peop#e can e(perience a

better menta# hea#th* more positive ps)cho#o&ica# states* more optimism an!

faith* $hich in trn can #ea! to a better ph)sica# state !e to #ess stress0 an! psiK

in5ences /spernatra# #a$s that &overn ener&iesK not crrent#) comprehen!e!b) science bt possib#) n!erstan!ab#e at some point b) science0' 6ecase

spirita#it)@re#i&ion in5ence hea#th thro&h these path$a)s* the) act in an

in!irect $a) on hea#th /Oman Thorensen* 9::904 There are st!ies that sho$

the positive impact of fastin& an! hea#th bene1ts to re#i&ios #ifest)#es'

2.3 General external environment

3Environmenta# hea#th ris7s are factors otsi!e of the bo!) that can a"ect

a persons $e##bein&' E(amp#es inc#!e the +a#it) of their air* foo! an! $ater

;

http://www.studentpulse.com/authors/340/iulia-o-basu-zharkuhttp://www.studentpulse.com/authors/340/iulia-o-basu-zharku


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spp#) or their e(posre to ha.ar!os materia#s' reventin& or re!cin& the ris7

of i##ness* injr) or !isease in the commnit) is important for environmenta#

hea#th'4

/http?@@$$$'betterhea#th'vic'&ov'a@bhcv9@bhcartic#es'nsf@pa&es@Environmenta#h

ea#thopen0

Environmenta# hea#th covers man) !i"erent factors in a personKs srron!in&s'

These can inc#!e?

E(terna#

Environment

E(amp#e

Air o##tion Smo&* $oo! smo7e* mo#!,ater +a#it) Gre) $ater* tan7 $ater* 5ori!ation an! !ro&ht

=oo! +a#it) Contamination an! ntritionChemica#s estici!es* farm chemica#s an! arsenicMeta#s E(posre to #ea!* mercr) an! ca!mimInfectios

!iseases

Vira# infections #i7e s$ine 5

Man%ma!e

strctres

E(posre to asbestos* or e#ectroma&netic ra!iation #i7e

mobi#e phones

Air po##tion is a major hea#th ris7 an! #ea!s to poor air +a#it) thatimpacts an increase! rate in repertor) !iseases' Dst as !ense#) pop#ate! areas

has a hi&h ris7 of airborne !iseases that co#! easi#) sprea!'

The trave##in& commnit) in the U8 has increase! over the #ast cop#e of

)ears an! their hea#th an! $e##%bein& is especia##) in5ence b) their e(terna#

environment' 3Man) of the H: pb#ic G)ps) sites are sitate! in hosti#e

environments that are !eeme! nsitab#e for an) other !eve#opment* sch as on

o#! $aste tips* or besi!e or n!erneath motor$a)s'4 /-ea#th care nee!s of

Trave##ers % http?@@a!c'bmj'com@content@9@


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ti#it) rooms an! fai#in&s in 1re safet)' oor +a#it) accommo!ation a&&ravate

e(istin& heath con!itions an! co#! #ea! to ne$ prob#ems* hi&her infection rates

are #in7e! to poor sanitation an! poor access to c#ean $ater'

Be to these commnities trave#in& often an! or in short notice perio!s

there seems to be a #ac7 in e!cation in )on&er chi#!ren an! the immnisation

of chi#!ren #ea!in& to a #ac7 of 7no$#e!&e an! hi&her chi#!renKs !iseases'

2.4 he socio-economic status

3Socia# an! economic resorces shape the hea#th of in!ivi!a#s an!

pop#ations' This can be seen in the simp#e statistic that richer contries ten! to

have better avera&e hea#th than poorer ones4 /,i#7inson*


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Lifest)#e choices /emp#o)ment* e!cation* hosin&* !iets an! s#eep0 have

a !irect corre#ation bet$een or socio%economic stats an! or hea#th' In

!eve#ope! contries peop#e $ith #o$ socio%economic statses have poor hea#th

behavior /smo7in&* ba! foo! choices* ph)sica# inactivit)* over a#coho#

consmption0 that #ea!s to varios hea#th matters' ,here as in n!er!eve#ope!

contries* #o$ socio%economic stats re#ates to poor #ivin& con!itions* ba! $ater

an! sanitation* ma#ntrition* nemp#o)ment $ith poor hosin& con!itions $hich

#ea!s to !iseases sch as T6* car!iovasc#ar !iseases an! ai!s* $ith hi&h

morta#it) rates'

It is estimate! that peop#e on hi&her incomes enjo) better s#eep patterns

than those on #o$er incomes* $hich has a !irect impact on oneKs moo! an!

stress #eve#s* $hich in trn cases !epression* ps)cho#o&ica# !istress an! a

$ea7ene! immne s)stem that co#! a## be associate! $ith ftre !iabetes*

increase! obesit)* heart !iseases an! some form of cancers' St!ies have

sho$n that hea#th) peop#e often &et promote! in the $or7p#ace $here as

nhea#th) peop#e are often not or nemp#o)e!'

3Those !eprive! economica##) an! #ivin& in !isa!vanta&e! nei&hborhoo!s

face a variet) of chronic stressors in !ai#) #ivin&? The) str&e to ma7e en!smeetP have fe$ opportnities to achieve positive &oa#sP e(perience more

ne&ative #ife events sch as nemp#o)ment* marita# !isrption* an! 1nancia#

#ossP an! mst !ea# $ith !iscrimination* mar&ina#it)* iso#ation* an!

po$er#essness4 /Lant. et a#' 9::0

2.! "ther countries and their attitudes to health

Ethiopia

Ethiopia has an n!er!eve#ope! hea#th s)stem $ith a#most : percent of

morbi!it) in Ethiopia is !e to nnecessar) conta&ios an! ntritiona# !iseases*

both associate! $ith #o$ socio%economic !eve#opment in thir! $or#! contries'

Most $omen #ive in remote areas* $here transportation an! roa!s are non%

e(istent #et a#one the an) hea#th faci#ities' JW of birthin& ta7es p#ace at home

$ith on#) ;W of $omen !e#iverin& in a c#inic or hospita#' A re#ative or ntraine!

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3169799/#R79http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3169799/#R79


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person $i## assist in ;


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One of the major concerns in Soth Africa is the #ac7 of e!cation $ith

re&ar!s to AIBS not jst amon&st poor ne!cate! peop#e bt a#so peop#e in

po$er* 9 prime e(amp#es?

• Br' Manto Tshaba#a#a%Msiman&* the previos hea#th minister of Soth Africa

promote! !ietar) measres rather than !r&s to treat AIBS' Br'

Tshaba#a#a%Msiman& a!vocate! marsha##in& vitamin an! ntritiona# forces

a&ainst the -'I'V' She sai! at a $or#! hea#th or&anisation conference that

foo!s #i7e &ar#ic* #emon* African potatoes an! beetroot $ere stancher

!efences than the antiretrovira# !r&s an! have been prove! to pro#on&

the #ives of -'I'V'%positive patients an! to he#p prevent the passa&e of the

virs from pre&nant $omen to their babies'

• E(%resi!ent mas &ave testimon) in cort that that he !i! not se a

con!om !rin& se(* !espite 7no$in& the $oman $as -IV%positive* bt that

he ha! #eft his be!room after havin& se( $ith the $oman an! ta7en a

sho$er becase this $o#! minimise the ris7 of contractin& the !isease

X-IVY'

Soth Africa has one of the hi&hest se(a# vio#ence statistics in the $or#!*

$here $omen have a one in three chance of bein& rape!' There e(ists a be#ief

amon&st #o$ socia#%economic b#ac7 men* primari#) those $ith #itt#e or no

e!cation* that AIBS is the res#t of ba! spirits inhabitin& the bo!) an! that

havin& se( $ith a vir&in $i## cre AIBS' This transcen!s into force! se( $here

)on& vir&ins an! chi#!ren inc#!in& infants* are rape! b) men ho#!in& this

be#ief* an! conse+ent#) casin& severe &enita# !ama&e an! trama to both the

victim an! the fami#) of the victim'


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3. #onclusion

An eva#ation of hea#th an! $e##%bein&* revea#s that there is a sca#e of var)in&opinions $ith re&ar!s to this an! $hat is re+ires to maintain it' =irst#)* as

reference! at the otset of this paper* ,-O prports that hea#th is a sm tota# of

menta#* ph)sica# an! socia# $e##%bein& an! that $e##%bein& is not e(c#sive#)

!etermine! b) the absence of !isease' Secon!#)* certain factors sch as &enetic

inheritance* the e(terna# environment* socio%economic stats* access to hea#th

care an! the attit!es to hea#th in other contries* can a## in5ence the otcome

of hea#th an! $e##%bein&' ,i#7inson /


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$e%erences

,ebsites

-o$ hman c#tre in5ences or &enetics* Avai#ab#e at?http?@@$$$'bbc'com@ftre@stor)@9:


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,or7* Stress an! -ea#th Socioeconomic Stats' Avai#ab#e at?

http?@@$$$'apa'or&@pi@ses@resorces@pb#ications@factsheet%$sh'asp( Accesse!

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Cultural Behaviours and Health Well