Culture influences health in many ways. It shapes concepts of disease etiology and appropriate treatment. Cultural customs impact factors like food habits, environmental sanitation, and personal hygiene. For example, in some cultures supernatural causes are believed to explain diseases, open defecation is common due to lack of latrines, and shared eating utensils promote spread of infection. Cultural practices also influence mother and child health, such as preferences for male children, restrictions during pregnancy, and traditional birth attendants. Public health efforts must consider how local culture shapes health behaviors and beliefs.

1. Impact of culture on health
Rafaqat Afridi

2. What is Culture
Learned behavior which has been socially acquired.
Product of human societies , man is largely a product of his
culture environment.
Lays Down norms of behavior and provides mechanisms which
secure an individual in his personal and social survival.
Culture stands for customs,beliefs, law ,religion and moral
percepts, arts & other capabilities, skill acquired by man as a
member of society.

3. Every culture has its own customs, which influence
disease. E.g lung carcinoma & liver cirrhosis in west
due to smoking.
Involved in matters of personal hygiene, nutrition,
immunization , seeking early medical care, family
planning ..in short, the whole way of life.
Not all customs and beliefs are bad.

4. Impact of cultural factors on Health:
➢ Concept of etiology and cure
➢ Food habits
➢ Environmental sanitation
➢ Mother and child health
➢ Personal hygiene
➢ Marriage

5. Conceptof etiologyand cure:
It has two groups.
Supernatural causes:
▪ Wrath of God ( smallpox and chicken pox, cases are not
notified and pujas are made to please the God.)
▪ Breach of taboo ( sexual transmitted disease are believed
by some to be due to illegal sexual intercourse with low
cast women)
▪ Past sins ( leprosy and tuberculosis )
▪ Evil eyes ( children mostly prone to the effect of evil eyes)
▪ Spirit or ghost intrusion ( Epilepsy are regarded due to
spirit or ghost intrusion )

6. Physical causes :
Effects Of Weather ( Heat stroke)
Water ( impure water associated with disease)
Impure blood ( skin disease are consider to be due to
impure blood)

7. Environmental sanitation
Disposal of human excreta
Open field defecation
No idea of latrine in village
Latrines are meant for city dwellers, where there are no
field for defecation
Faeces are infectious, pollutes water and soil and
promotes fly breeding

8. Water supply
• Ponds and tanks common use for washing, drinking
• Some rivers are considered “holy”
• Epidemics of cholera, gastroenteritis have occurred
due to these cultural practices.
Cholera is an infectious disease caused by a bacterium
called Vibrio cholerae. The bacteria typically live in
waters that are somewhat salty and warm.

9. Housing
Rural houses are small all over the country.
Ill-light ill-ventilated.
Absence of a separate kitchen, latrine, bathroom and
drainage are characteristic features of an average
rural house.
Animal and human being live under one roof.

10. Food habits
Influenced by local condition (e.g. soil, climates),
religious customs and beliefs.
food such as meat ,fish, eggs are considered to
generate heat in the body.
Food such as milk, vegetables and lemon are
considered to cool the body
Hindu society ------ vegetarian
Adulteration of milk is a common practice.

11. • Eating and drinking from common utensils is
considered as a sign of brotherhood.
• Some people don’t eat unless they have taken
a bath.
• Charas , ganja are frequently consumed and
spreading into the general population.

12. Mother and child health
• Family is incomplete without male child
• Some food are forbidden during pregnancy
• Deliveries are conducted by the traditional untrained
professional (dai)
• No breast feeding during first 3 days of birth because
of the belief that it might be harmful.

13. Piercing ear and nose ( infection, damage nerve,
allergic reaction )
Kajal and surma ( trachoma).