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Cultural Controls and How They Relate to Health and Healing
In this 21st*century, people have engrossed their attention on health and healing, mainly
how cultural wheels affect or relate to health and healing. Health denotes a whole state of
psychological, bodily, and collective comfort and the lack of sickness. Healing, on the other
hand, refers to restoring health (Euromed Info, n.d). Although there are many dimensions of
health and healing, and advancement in technology has impacted how people view health and
healing, there is no doubt that religious and cultural perspectives have had the most significant
impact on these issues. Unfortunately, there is an underrepresentation of cultural, ethnic, and
gender diversity in current health facilities and leadership.*Swihart, Yarrarapu & Martin (2018)
opine that*cultural or religious diversity around the globe poses challenges to healthcare
providers and healthcare systems as they struggle to offer care services that meet the spiritual,
cultural, and social needs of patients. Hence, it is paramount for the healthcare system to
embrace initiatives meant to improve cultural competence. Individuals are unique, and culture is
as unique as the individual. How people respond to illness and treatment is personal; hence, one
must first understand an individual's cultural background and how it relates to their perception of
health and healing. Therefore, this paper examines cultural controls and how they relate to health
and healing.
Culture Controls
Health care, culture, and spirituality are inseparable. Even with the cure-oriented
advancement in science and technology, physicians need help to separate medicine from cultural
controls. Instead, they try to balance their care and their cultural or spiritual roots or those of
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Running head: Traditions and Biases
their patients. Historically, culture is linked to healthcare, as seen in how individuals react to
diseases or medication. For instance, some people clamor for medical attention at the slightest
sign of conditions, while others do everything possible to avoid medical attention, even in
serious situations (Euromed Info, n.d). Some individuals also prefer dealing with their illnesses
at home or using traditional healing methods (Villani et al., 2019). Remarkably, how each
individual reacts to a health issue resonates with how they were raised.
Cultural Systems
It is important to understand that each cultural system has its own belief system about
health and healing. There are as many beliefs about health and healing as there are cultures
(Swihart, Yarrarapu & Martin (2018). Unfortunately, these cultural belief systems influence how
people reason or feel about their fitness and health distresses, where they search for help, and
how they react or adhere to health mediations (Euromed Info, n.d). Cultures also differ in
communication, particularly the meanings attached to words and gestures, including what one
can share regarding their health or body. Effective care requires a mutual understanding between
all stakeholders, especially their cultures, as cultural controls influence the content of care, health
outcomes, and encounters as an individual’s understanding of the health matter literally gains a
more significant meaning in the context of their culture.
Biblical Perspectives on Traditions and Biases
Besides, the concept of health and healing is deeply ingrained in biblical teachings,
influencing how individuals, particularly Christians feel or think about their health and healing.
Bożek, Nowak & Blukacz (2020) argue that healing is an overhaul of the body, mind, and soul.
Christians are confident amid health problems as they believe healing is for everyone based on
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the NIV Bible, 2011, Exodus 15: 26, which refers to God as “the Lord who heals us.” In
addition, the bible focuses on healing as a whole, the body, and the soul (physical, emotional,
and spiritual health). Isaiah 53:4-5 states that Jesus bore all our grief and carried our pains and
sorrows; thus, by His stripes, we are healed and made whole (NIV Bible, 2011). The NIV Bible,
2011, 1 Peter 2:24 also affirms that Jesus bore our sins on the cross (died for our sins) that we
might live. Psalms 107: 20 also upholds that God delivered us from destruction, while Matthew
8:17 contends that Jesus took our sicknesses and illnesses and bore away our diseases (NIV
Bible, 2011). As such, religious perspectives have their share in how people view health and
healing.
Conclusion
There are divergent views on health and healing. Everyone is unique, which resonates
with how they think or feel about health and healing. Their cultural or religious helms shape their
beliefs or biases about health, health problems, and health interventions, thus, influencing health
outcomes. So, even with the current technological advancement in the medical field, it is vital to
understand everyone’s unique way of life. It helps bring a mutual understanding in healthcare,
improving overall health outcomes.
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References
Bible, H. (2011). New International Version, (Holy Bible).*Available at
https://zlibrary.to/pdfs/the-holy-bible-new-international-version-niv-pdf Accessed 5th
April, 2023
Bożek, A., Nowak, P. F., & Blukacz, M. (2020). The relationship between spirituality, health-
related behavior, and psychological well-being.*Frontiers in Psychology,*11, 1997.
Euromed Info, (n.d). How Culture Influences Health Beliefs. Available at:
https://www.euromedinfo.eu/how-culture-influences-health-beliefs.html/ Accessed 5th
April 2023
Swihart, D. L., Yarrarapu, S. N. S., & Martin, R. L. (2018). Cultural religious competence in
clinical practice.
Villani, D., Sorgente, A., Iannello, P., & Antonietti, A. (2019). The role of spirituality and
religiosity in the subjective well-being of individuals with different religious status.
Frontiers in Psychology,*10, 1525.
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