Cultural Health Determinants
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Cultural Factors That Directly Impact Health
The shift in focus in modern healthcare systems toward promoting healthy lifestyles and disease prevention as the core of population health reflects the importance of lifestyle and health habits in individual health (Cho et al., 2022). Humans are advanced animals with social and cultural characteristics that no other species on Earth possesses, making this phenomenon an imminent health objective. Within the cultural characteristics of any society, elements such as diet, physical exercise, inherited hygiene habits, psychological patterns and predominant forms of behavior, and religious practices can directly impact the health of the individual and the community (Cho et al., 2022).
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Cultural Health Determinants
Eating Habits
Nutrition is one of the most decisive factors in an individual’s health. Food is the way the human body obtains energy and resources, and poor nutrition is often accompanied by health problems (Da Costa, 2023). Some populations, such as those in Asia, have generally healthy eating patterns, with a high consumption of fish, brown rice, vegetables, and fruits, which results in populations with low body mass indexes and good physical condition (Da Costa, 2023). At the other extreme, we have societies such as the American one, with a significant predominance of fast food and oversaturated meals, generating high rates of childhood and adult obesity, leading to significant complications and chronic diseases (Da Costa, 2023).
Physical Exercise
Physical exercise provides recognized benefits for cardiovascular health, mobility, and autonomy at all ages (Da Costa, 2023). Populations such as Latinos and Africans, where exercise and sports are part of their culture, tend to reap the benefits of these practices compared to populations such as Americans and Europeans, where forms of entertainment that are more dependent on technology and screen time have displaced traditional sports (Da Costa, 2023).
Inherited Hygienic Habits
The benefits of systematic hygienic habits were learned by society several centuries ago, however, these are not practiced similarly in all populations, influenced by factors such as water availability, temperature, and religious practices (Cho et al., 2023). It is clear that populations that, for one reason or another, fail to comply with basic hygiene standards are more prone to disease and poor health (Da Costa, 2023).
Psychological Behaviors and Patterns
Advances in medicine have led to mental health becoming increasingly important. In this context, certain behaviors and patterns are becoming increasingly alarming in societies such as those in Asia, where idiosyncrasy, lack of individuality, and cultural protectionism often lead to the emergence of mental disorders such as depression, as evidenced by suicide rates that are much higher than in Western societies (Da Costa, 2023). In contrast, populations such as Latinos tend to have more open and communicative personalities, facilitating communication in healthcare settings and reducing the risk of mental disorders (Da Costa, 2023).
Religious Practices
Some religious practices can be potentially dangerous to the health of their practitioners, especially those disciplines that include extreme fasting, ingestion of toxic substances, self-flagellation, rejection of medical treatment, and social isolation (Verbunt et al., 2021).
References
Cho, M. K., & Kim, M. Y. (2022). Factors cultural factors that directly impact health. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(7), 4109. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19074109
Da Costa M. (2023). How culture impacts health: The hispanic narrative. Creative Nursing, 29(3), 273–280. https://doi.org/10.1177/10784535231211695
Verbunt, E., Luke, J., Paradies, Y., Bamblett, M., Salamone, C., Jones, A., & Kelaher, M. (2021). Cultural determinants of health for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people – a narrative overview of reviews. International Journal for Equity in Health, 20(1), 181. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-021-01514-2
