Chapter 4 The Influence of Cultural and Health Belief Sys.docx

Chapter 4:
The Influence of Cultural
and Health Belief Systems
on Health Care Practices
Copyright © 2016 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams
& Wilkins
Copyright © 2016 Wolters Kluwer • All Rights Reserved
1
Cultural Belief Systems #1
Cultural meanings and cultural belief systems develop from the
shared experiences of a social group and are expressed
symbolically.
2
Worldview
The set of metaphoric explanations used by a group of people to
explain life’s events and to offer solutions to life’s mysteries
Permeates every aspect of life within the culture

3
Worldview (paradigm) includes the assumptions, premises, and
linkages that hold together a prevailing interpretation of reality;
typically slow to change.
4
Question #1
Is the following statement true or false?
All clients refer to illness and disease in the same context.
Answer to Question #1
False
Rationale: Not all clients relate to health and illness in the
same context. A client’s worldview influences his or her
cultural belief system.
These are often the reasons why nurses may encounter
challenges when communicating with those who have a different
worldview than theirs.

6
Health Belief Systems #1
Health and illness worldviews are influenced by a person’s
attitudes, beliefs, and practices.
This concept is his or her health belief system.
7
The three major health belief systems are:
Magico-religious
Scientific
Holistic
8
In the magico-religious paradigm:
The world is an arena in which supernatural forces
dominate.
The fate of the world and those in it depends on the actions
of God, or the Gods, or other supernatural forces for good or
evil.
The cause of health or illness is mystical.

Examples: Voodoo, Christian Scientists
9
In the scientific paradigm (biomedical model):
Life is controlled by a series of physical and biochemical
processes, which can be studied and manipulated by humans.
Determinism (cause and effect for natural phenomena).
Mechanism (control life processes through mechanical, genetic
and engineered processes).
Reductionism (all life reduced to smaller parts).
Objective materialism (what is real can be observed/measured).
Example: most Western cultures
10
In the holistic paradigm:
The forces of nature itself must be kept in natural balance or
harmony.
Everything in the universe has a place and a role to
perform.
Disturbing natural laws create imbalance, chaos, and disease.
Examples: yin/yang, hot/cold

11
Question #2
Is the following statement true or false?
Asians and Native American Indians should be assessed for
holistic health beliefs.
12
True
Rationale: The holistic paradigm has existed for centuries in
many parts of the world, particularly in Native American Indian
cultures and Asian cultures.
13
Health and Illness Behaviors #1
Health behavior (prevention/early detection)
Illness behavior (illness/remedy)

Sick role behavior (illness/coping)
14
Health and Illness Behaviors #2
Influencing factors:
One’s beliefs
Personal factors
Cues to action
15
Types of Healing Systems #1
The term healing system refers to the sciences, arts, and
techniques of restoring and preserving health that are used by
any cultural group.
Example: utilizing health care practitioners along with healers,
religious figures, etc.

16
Self-care
Professional care systems
Folk healing system
Complementary, Integrative, and Alternative Health Systems
(CIH)
17
Complementary Health Approaches/CIH:
1. Alternative medical systems
2. Natural products
3. Mind and body practices
4. Manipulative and body-based methods
5. Energy therapies
18
Question #3
What is the focus of allopathic or biomedicine?

Replacing conventional medicine
Adding to conventional medicine
Killing bacteria and suppressing symptoms
Healing with naturally occurring substances
19
C. Killing bacteria and suppressing symptoms
Rationale: Allopathic medicine is the practice most physicians
and nurses are educated in. Life is controlled by a series of
physical and biochemical processes that can be studied and
manipulated by humans through allopathic medicine or
professional care systems.
20
Statement of Purpose: UC Earth Science Continuous BS/MS
Program
Climate science has been a growing interest of mine
throughout my life. When I was younger, I knew I loved the

planet and the beauty that it presented. However, I also knew it
was important to understand it in order to be able to preserve it.
As I have gotten older, the climate issue and the state of the
planet has started to become more and more prominent. My
interests were sprouted from my youth and heightened from
present day issues. This led me to pursue my undergraduate
studies in Earth Science in order to obtain a better
understanding about our planet’s various processes and the
connections between them. My time at the University of
California, has inspired me to look further into and study the
climate in order to be able to predict the future of our planet.
The first class of my junior year was Paleoclimatology
which allowed me to become both inspired and impressed. This
class gave me a different perspective on the climate issue. I
understood that in order to understand the future of the planet,
it was more important to know its past. As a class, we visited
the Sea Floor Drilling Laboratory on the scripps campus. When
we were taken into the refrigerated archive rooms, I was amazed
by the hundreds of samples lying from the floor to the ceiling.
It was a collaboration brought about from different parts of the
world, working together to understand how the climate has
changed and fluctuated in the past. Even as the quarter went by,
it was incredible to see how much detail scientists were able to
find through chemical proxies and how far back in time they
were able to date. Seeing the data both preserved physically and
explained on paper encouraged me to continue studying
Paleoclimatology.
My undergraduate academics and the knowledge I have
obtained has further encouraged me to pursue a Master’s degree
through the BS/MS continuous program here at the Scripps
Institution of Oceanography. By further enhancing my
knowledge of paleoclimatology I hope to find more moments in
history such as the Paleocene Eocene Boundary through data
collected from sedimentary cores. Specifically, I would like to
compare sedimentary cores of modern day foraminifera to those
of the PETM. The PETM itself has become an important

analogy for the overall warming we have experienced today.
The rapid increase in carbon dioxide caused major changes on
our planet. The fossil fuels emitted into the atmosphere have the
same effects that they had 55 Mya during that time. By
analyzing these two layers in the sedimentary cores, we would
be able to understand both the temperature and overall
environmental conditions in both scenarios. Through this
research, I hope to be able to find their similarities and
differences in order to be able to make better predictions for the
planet’s future. (be specific here)
From the creation of the Keeling curve to research on ice
cores, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography has become one
of the primary centers for climate research (put yourself here).
Most importantly, because of the Deep Sea Drilling Laboratory
in addition to the plentiful data available, Scripps would be the
best place to advance knowledge on the PETM and modern day
climate change. With the guidance of professors such as Dr.
Teranes and Dr. Severinghaus both of whom are making
incredible advancements in the subject of paleoclimatology, it
would be encouraging and inspiring to complete my own
research. By being in the right place with like minded people,
advancements in paleoclimatology can be made to better
understand our planet’s most impactful processes.
(By researching about today’s climate and comparing it to
the PETM, people will be able to better understand what the
planet’s conditions will look like in the next five, ten, or even
hundreds of years. Climate change has become an issue that
requires action and knowledge. I hope to be able to provide
insight for other scientists and others in making sure our planet
is able to be preserved for the future. )

Chapter 4 The Influence of Cultural and Health Belief Sys.docx

Chapter 4 The Influence of Cultural and Health Belief Sys.docx

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Chapter 4 The Influence of Cultural and Health Belief Sys.docx