Influence of culture on Personal beliefs attitudes and values towards health care

What are beliefs?

An individuals sense of right or wrong.

May or may not be factual

May differ in intensity - more connection an individual has with belief, stronger it becomes

How are beliefs formed?

Through experience/practice (most powerful)

relection → (what people see)
researching information → (usually from experts)
authority → (people in power, relgiious leaders, teachers, dictators, can be postivie or negative)

What are types of beliefs?

Internally generated

Externall generated

What are internally generated beliefs?

Beliefs come from experience and reflection

What are externally generated beliefs

Being influenced by experts and people in authority forms

What influences both internally and externally generated beliefs

• Culture

How does culture impact health

impacts how people think and feel about their health and health problems

when and whom they seek health care hfrom

and how they respond to recommendations for lifestyle changes, health-care interventions and adhering to treatment

What are values?

General principles by which one lives their life

moral standards they use to make decisions

How are values developed?

From childhood but may change as we mature (based on SE factors, social conditions, etc.)

What are values based on?

Culture, ethnicity, demographics, peers

What are attitudes?

Positive, negative or neutral feelings or opinions about something

Reflect how we feel about something

How are attitudes formed?

They are formed from the core values and beliefs we hold internally

What is the relationship between beleifa attitudes and values?

BAV are strongly related and predictive or each other

in other instances relationship between attitudes, beliefs and behaviours is not strong (e..g may dislike going to the doctor (negative attitude) yet still believe doctor can cure illness (positive belief)

Example of rrelationship

Beliefs → conception is the start of human life (cultural, religious or family inluence)

Values → Human life at any stgae is important

Attitudes → Abortion are detrimental to human life

Behaviour → Would not have an abortion

What is culture?

Culture refers to the shared beliefs, customs, traditions, language, and behaviours passed down through generations within a social group. It shapes how people understand the world, including health and illness

What are cultural norms?

Cultural norms are behaviour patterns of specific groups based on their cultural upbringing. This can be influenced by geographical location, country of origin, ethnic affiliation and religion

How does culture affect norms

Through culture, people and groups defin themselves, conform to shared values and contribute to society.

Generally passed donw from one gen to the next

Culture will inherently influence the practices of te beleifs and values of a cultural group and attitudes will develop and behaviours will be praciced

What are variations in cultural groups?

Education, SES, language proficiency, sexual orientation, geographical location, health status are some variations that exist within cultural groups - so people within a culture may not all share exactly the same ideas or opinions

How can cultural norms change

Beliefs of influential people within the culture must change - present new beliefs and values, attitudes and behaviour to become the new cultural norms

takes a lot of time

How does variation of cultures influence health

Variations in culture as they access health care include differing beliefs regarding

• respect

• mistrust of western medicine

• cause of illness

• treatments

• traditional therapies

• role of spirit/spirituality

• healing customs

• religion and faith

• medication, food, diet

• role of elders/cultural leaders

What is the influence of culturer on health?

Every culture has beliefs oabout health, disease, trreatment and healthcare

healht is a =

Why i shealth a cultural concept?

Culture frames and shapes how we perceive the world and our experiences.

What does determinant of health, disease, culture help us to define?

• perceptions and values of health, illness and death

• beliefs about cause of disease

• attitudes to health promotion

• how illness and pain are experienced and expressed

• where patients seek help

• and the types of treatment patients prefer

Link between health literacy and culture

1) cultures. can differ in their styles of communication, meaning of words and gestures and even in in what can be discussed regarding the body, health. and illness

2) health literacy requires communication and mutual understanding between patients and families and healthcare providers and staff

3) health literacy must recognise the potential effect of cultural difference on the communication and understanding o health information

Examples of how culture influences health?

1) What patients and healthcare providers believe about causes of death

2) Which diseases or conditions are stigmatised and why

3) What type of health promotion activities are practiced, recommended or insured

4) How illness and pain are experienced and expressed

How do cultural traditions, expecations and attitudes influence health behaviour?

Some cultures can view illness as a result of spiritual imbalance, moral wrongdoing

illness may be seen as a natural aprt of life, not something to cure

beliefs shape how illness is undertood when help is soguht and what kind of treatment is acceptable

Where does mistrust of western medicine stem from?

Lack of exposure, past trauma or exclusion

strong belief in cultural healing practices

many cultures value bush medicine herbal remedies or ancestral healing over pharmaceuticals

traditional therapies may be used in conjunction with or as an alternative to medical treatment

Relationship between stigma and health conditions

• some health issues may carry stigma in some cultures

• mental illness, HIV, infertility

may lead to silence or hiding symptoms

avoiding medical professionals

delay in diagnosis or treatment

Relationship between gender and cultral health behaviour

In some cultures, men often make healthcare decisions and choices

Women may need permission from male relatives to seek treatment

Discomfort with male practitioners can prevent women from accessing care.

Variations in cultural norms regarding health

ideas about pain, ageing, disability or death vary widely

what’s considered in a normal health behaviour in one culture may be seen as strange or unnecessary in another

some cultures normalise suffering or downplay symptoms

How can family and hierarchy influence health behaviour?

Elders or family leaders may influence health decisions that affect the entire family

Hierarchial structures can

• delay or block medicalcare

• prioritise cultural practices over individual needs

family values may override individuaHow does past exp preference in treatment

How do past experiences influence healthcare?

• Positive or negative experiences — either personal or within the community - shape trust

• Negative experiences (feeling dismissed or misunderstood) may lead to

  • avoidance of health services

  • Preference for community based advice

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspective

• Holistic views of helth → balance of physical, emotional, spirtual, cultural and environmental wellbeing, not just abscence of disease

• connection to country → strong ties to land, culture and anceeasttors influence health decisions and healing. disconnection = distress or poor health

• Mistrust of Western Systems → historical trauma from colonisation, the stolen generations and racism has led to ongoing distruct in the healthcare system

Social Norms

Refers to behaviour that is normal, acceptable or even expected in particular social context

unwritten rules based on a s ocially shared belief of how peopel should behavie

Cultural norms

Behaviour patterns of specifci gorup s based on their cultural upribing. this can be influenced by geographical locaiton, country of origin, ethnic affiliation and religion

Implied norms

Unwritten and not declared by subtly suggested suggested

Explicit norms

Written or declared norms that must be followed

Expected norms

Famolies employers, schools and social gruops place exepctations on individuals to confiorm or agree with norms to fit in and achieve success\

Observed

required behaviour or attitude is ovious due to the adheranc eby others

How are norms learnt?

Family

School

Observed

Peers

Media

Majority norms

Unwritten rules or standards that are followed by more than half (majority) of population. social or cultural

Minority norms

Specifci group norms tre norms that are folowed by /unique to the people who nbelong to particular group could be religious/social/cultural

Norm conflict

Happens when the nroms of a specifci group differ from or contradict the broader community/s expecaztins

What can norm conflict lead to

Misunderstanding

Stigma

reduced angagement with health services

resistance to public health campaigns

feelings o exlusion or discrimination

Norm conflict examples

Indigenous health beliefs may priorityse spriutuatl or hollistic approahces, while western medicine promotes biomedical models

Religious norms may conflict ith mainstram views on sexual health educaation or contraception use

Some cultural groups may avoid discussing mental health due to stigma, majority norms aznd promote opnness and helpseeking

Youth peer groups may. normalise vaping, while national health messaging labels it as harmful

How does conflict between groups/norm conflict affect health status of the group

People may avoid or mistrust health systems if they don’t respect their group’s norms

health promotion may be rejected if it clashes with cultural or gruop identity

can lead to inequity, misunderstanding, and reduced effectiveness of programs

lower participation in screening, prevention or treatment servcies

People may feel isolated or marginalised if their group/s norms aren’t accepted by mainstream society

Proscriptive norms

Behaviours that are discouraged or seen as unacceptable within a group or society

Example → smoking in public is now widely discouraged due to the risks of second-hand smoke and regulations. Seen as socially unacceptable → People always smoke away from others or in designated areas

How they influence health behaviours → Help reduce harmful behaviour by creating social and legal consequences

Shift attitudes by. linking the behaviour to adverse outcomes (health harm, stigma)

Challenge harmful behaviours by creating social pressure not to engage in them

Help reduce risk by changing what’s considered normal

Prescriptive norms

Behaviours that are encouraged or expected by society or a group

Example → wearing sunscreen and a hat in the sun is encouraged in Australian schools and families. Expectd bduring summer activities, especially for children

How they influence health behaviours → Reinforce protective behaviours by making them a regular part of daily life

Help build positive habits and sense of responsiblity

Promote early adoption, especially in children and young

Popular norms

Popular norms are behaviours that are widely adopted or imitated, especially among peer groups - often influenced by media and social trends

current example → Vaping amongst teens has become popularised trhough peer groups and social media, seen as cool or normal in soome youth networks despite risks

how they influence risky behaviours → if norm supports unhealthy choices, have the potential to shift in a positive direction (meal prepping, gym culture, mindfulness apps, fitness tracking become trendy)

powerful because they tap into a person’s desire to belong or be accepted.