Culture impacts the way a person views life, values, social norms, and other aspects that constitute daily life, including health and diseases. Individuals’ families also play a role in the way health is perceived. Patient-centered care implies involving family members and incorporating care tailored to the patient’s culture. This paper will discuss how family shapes the role of care and attitudes towards health and how culture affects health beliefs and community health.
Dynamics of a family influence a person’s views on health. For example, in Hispanic families, a family unit is a central element of care, and families typically consist of several generations. Grandparents may be responsible for cooking meals and caring for children while parents manage the household (“Do cultural differences influence care decisions?” n.d.). Hence, with these families, considering the role of a family is essential. Moreover, according to Jazieh et al. (2018), involving the family is the basis of patient-centered care. If a member of this family has diabetes, and they have to follow a DASH diet, a healthcare provider should discuss this diet with family members responsible for cooking, in this case, the grandparents.
Another factor to consider is family dynamics, for example, Middle Eastern families typically have large extended families. These family members typically get involved in the process of care as well (Jazieh et al., 2018). On the other hand, cultures that value individualism would not rely on family support as much, and the responsibility for one’s health lays on the patient. In the context of community health, this means that health providers would have to consider factors such as who can assist the patient in their self-management and what strategies of care are most suited for their family dynamic.
Culture affects health beliefs and community health, and each provides a unique explanation for the nature of health and illnesses. For example, the Hispanic population considers the role of the family as central to managing diseases, and the inclusion of family should be a central element of care. Moreover, some subbranches of a particular culture may believe in “folk illness,” for instance, the “Evil Eye” can cause nausea (“Do cultural differences influence care decisions?” n.d., para. 5). These beliefs shape the way community members approach care since they may choose to go to a healer instead of visiting a healthcare provider. Showing respect and understanding of the differences in the way people approach health and treatment plays a central role when helping communities maintain good health.
Even in modern society, several cultures still consider male heads of the family as the only appropriate decision-makers in terms of health. For example, Asian-Pacific cultures consider the oldest male to be responsible for health-related decisions (“Do cultural differences influence care decisions?” n.d.). Hence, a healthcare provider has to discuss a treatment plan with this individual since the patient will be unable to make health-related decisions without consent from the head of a household. Muslims also consider males as heads of households responsible for important decisions, including healthcare. Thus, when discussing illnesses with family members, a healthcare provider should understand the role of the family head because, in some cultures, these individuals are the final decision-makers and not the patients.
Overall, if healthcare professional wants to help patients and communities, they should comprehend the cultural differences that affect family dynamics and health beliefs. In some communities, males are the heads of families responsible for all health decisions, while in others, it is normal to have large extended families involved in care. The understanding of the differences in family dynamics and cultural differences helps create a proper care plan.
References
Do cultural differences influence care desidions? (n.d.).
Jazieh, A., Volker, S., & Taher, S. (2018). Involving the family in patient care: A culturally tailored communication model. Global Journal on Quality and Safety in Healthcare, 1(2), 33. Web.