Essay on Chinese culture health beliefs and its impact on the delivery of health to patient

The most common characteristic of Chinese culture health beliefs is a holistic view that focuses on environmental factors that are increasing risk of disease. Chinese believe that body’s harmony is deeply influenced by these environmental factors. Yin and yang forces have a control over people’s health and energy balance.

I would like to mention that traditional remedial practices or traditional Chinese medicine are very popular among Chinese population.

The reason is that traditional Chinese medicine is more compatible with the patients’ values, spiritual and religious philosophy more compatible with the patients’ values, spiritual and religious philosophy, or beliefs regarding the nature and meaning of health and illness. (Chin, 1996)

There is also an interesting aspect regarding taking medication. According to Chinese beliefs is should be taken until symptoms are relieved and then it should be stopped. And for instance, if the symptoms of illness are not clear or critical, medications may even never be taken by the patient.

There may be a concern regarding children illnesses. Unfortunately, the situation when “leftover” or “shared” antibiotics are given to Chinese children happens quite often.

The self-diagnosis may be made on the basis of the similar symptoms and consequently Chinese patients use the wrong treatment. It may cause the deterioration of their conditions. Besides it, a possibility of unnecessary side effects always exists in such situations.

Also there small groups of Chinese who blame illnesses on supernatural forces; they usually seek cure from their religions. (Chin, 1996)

The services beneficial for a client from various cultural backgrounds

When discussing the services that demonstrate the real commitment to cultural competence of health care organizations, first of all I should mention proper professional preparation programs. Why? Because they are able to significantly improve the knowledge and skills of the health professionals. There are various possible formats of these courses and trainings but they all have a common goal – educating about the cultural competence and cultural sensitivity.

These programs may be useful in providing certain aspects of cultural competence and cultural sensitivity within the frames of internship and residency programs. Health care organizations are obliged to provide the appropriate education workshops on these important issues.

I think that one of the most important services for patients from various cultural backgrounds is providing a help of interpreters. Any health organization should be able to provide a bilingual staff or free interpretation services to clients with limited English skills. They should think about hiring and training interpreters and bilingual staff and also about developing structures and procedures to address cross-cultural ethical and legal conflicts, complaints, or grievances by patients and staff. (Smith, 1998)

Of course, they should have certain qualifications, such understanding of English medical vocabulary, and understanding of the health problem.

His/her major roles will be a translator, a culture broker and probably a patient’s advocate.

Conclusions

Culture refers to the learned behaviors, values, norms, and symbols that are passed from generation to generation within a society. People learn what is appropriate and acceptable within their own culture and may come to view their way of doing things as the only correct way. People may reject or be ambivalent toward elements of the material culture, such as a proposed medical treatment, because of their native spiritual beliefs.

This means that health care professionals should be aware of the importance of culture and of the connection of the of the material and nonmaterial elements of it. Such awareness is a necessity for those whose job is to deal with people from different cultural backgrounds.

Nowadays the recognition of the necessity of cross-cultural competence is expected to grow. Cultural competence depends upon continuing self-assessment regarding culture, acceptance and respect for difference, vigilance toward the dynamics of differences, ongoing expansion of cultural knowledge and resources, and adaptation of services to meet the needs of a particular group. (Ndiwane & Miller, 2004)

Every culture competent health care professional should concentrate on developing the following attitudes:
“He/she should be aware about the impact of socio-cultural factors on patients.

It’s important to accept responsibility to understand the cultural dimensions of health and illness as a core medical task in the care of all patients.

Health care professional needs to recognize his/her personal views and reactions to persons from different minority, ethnic, and socio‐ cultural backgrounds.

Health care professional has to appreciate how personal cultural values, assumptions, and beliefs influence the medical care provided.

There should be understanding of the limitations of cultural analysis in the delivery of health care to individuals, families, and communities.

Health care professional needs to express respect and tolerance for cultural and social class differences.

He/she also has an ethical obligation to avoid any kind of discrimination.” (Ndiwane & Miller, 2004)

References
Capell, J. & Veenstra, G. (2007). Cultural Competence in Healthcare: Critical Analysis of the Construct, Its Assessment and Implications. Journal of Theory Construction & Testing. 11 (1), 30-33.
Chin P. Chinese Americans. In: Lipson JG, Dibble SL, Minarik, PA, eds. Culture and Nursing Care: A Pocket Guide. San Franciso: University of California—San Francisco Nursing Press; 1996: 74-81.
Jeffreys, M.J. (2006). Teaching Cultural Competence in Nursing and Health Care: Inquiry, Action, and Innovation. Springer, New York, 3.
Ndiwane, A. & Miller, K. (2004). Enhancing Cultural Competencies of Advanced Practice Nurses: Health Care Challenges in the Twenty-first Century. Journal of Cultural Diversity. 11 (3), 118-120
Smith, L.S. (1998). Cultural Competence for Nurses: Canonical Correlation of Two Culture Scales. Journal of Cultural Diversity. 5 (4),120.