Health across Cultures

Health can vary greatly across cultures. One obvious way that health may differ is because all cultures are exposed to different environmental factors. Some cultures may be exposed to one illness, while another may not be exposed to it at all because they are not in the environment that causes it. Although, this is changing because of the world becoming a smaller global community, with the increases of technology we can travel more, and are thus able to be in contact with disease factors that we other-wise would not have been exposed to if we did not travel there.  Another interesting aspect of health among cultures is that some ethnic groups may be more susceptible to certain illness’ compared to others, as a pre-determined biological factor. For instance, in one of my courses at university I have learned that Native Americans have a predisposition/are more susceptible to diabetes. Thirdly, another interesting concept to health across cultures is how cultures may define health. Or, how does any one person define it. Maybe health means happiness. Or maybe health means free of disease. Maybe in one culture a person who has a disease but is spiritually happy may claim that they are in good health because they are spiritually healthy and happy. Health can vary across cultures in the way that treatments are done. In western societies hospitals, doctors, medicines, drugs, surgeries are all common ways to interact with disease. Other cultures may rely on natural herbs only. Or other cultures may not believe that you should do anything or alter anyone’s health. Some cultures may believe in blood transfusions, while others may not. Some culture may see large bodies as a sign of healthiness, while other may see it as a sign of obesity. What is the common thing seen here? That culture determines what is said to be healthy, what health means, how health is coped with, how it is treated. Culture is the defining aspect of how health develops across cultures.