Health Care Culture Report

This report investigates the multifaceted relationship between culture and healthcare. It begins by defining culture within a healthcare context and illustrating its influence on health beliefs, perceptions of illness, and treatment preferences. The report then delves into the maintenance and transmission of culture's impact on wellbeing and informal healthcare, highlighting how cultural shifts can affect health outcomes. The impact of culture on physical activity is examined through examples from different cultural groups, showcasing how cultural norms can either promote or hinder physical activity. The role of social support within informal healthcare is explored, emphasizing the importance of community involvement in addressing healthcare challenges. The report further analyzes the nature of social participation in relation to health, differentiating between productive and recreational activities and identifying barriers to participation. Finally, the report discusses the construction of personal control in rehabilitation programs and suggests ways to improve rehabilitation services through outcome monitoring and client success stories. The conclusion summarizes the significant influence of culture on various aspects of healthcare, emphasizing the need for culturally sensitive approaches in healthcare provision.

Health Care
1

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................3
TASK....................................................................................................................................................3
1. Explaining culture in the context health with illustration............................................................3
2. Maintenance and transmission of culture in the context of wellbeing and informal healthcare. 4
3. Impact of culture on physical activity..........................................................................................4
4. Social support in the context of informal healthcare with examples...........................................5
5. Nature of social participation in the context of health.................................................................5
6. Construction of personal control and outline ways that can be applied in the development of
rehabilitation programs and services...............................................................................................6
CONCLUSION....................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES.....................................................................................................................................7
2

INTRODUCTION
Culture is a tool that provides the meaning to life to a person and helps him to survive in the
community. It also affects the beliefs, attitude and behaviour of individual either in positive or
negative manner (Acton, 2013). Health is a culture concept because culture frames and shapes how
someone perceives the world and experiences. With the help of this approach, it becomes easy for
the health care service providers to understand the culture of the patients. It also aids in how service
users and health care organizations view health and illness. Along with this, it facilitates the health
care service givers to understand what types of health promotion activities are practiced according
to the culture of the region (Fakhimi and Probert, 2013). The present report is based on culture in
the context of health care. Objectives that will highlight by this study are impact of culture on
physical activity, social support in the context of informal health care, nature of social participation
etc.
TASK
1. Explaining culture in the context health with illustration
All types of cultures have systems of health beliefs to explain what factors responsible for
illness, how it can be treated and who should be involved in the process. The influence of culture on
health is very huge. This makes impacts in perceptions of health, illness, beliefs about causes of
disease, different approaches related to health promotions etc (How Culture Influences Health,
2016). Along with this, culture of a region also helps the health care service providers to know
about the types of treatment prefer by the patients to treat the illness. Both health professionals and
health care service users influence by their respective culture and this thing gives shapes to the
health system in a nation or area. Cultural bias may offers different health related preferences and
insights. By negotiating and aware from these differences, it allows care providers to consider
several beliefs of sources of care in particular direction and create awareness into the community
about the diagnosis and treatment planning related to a disease (Andrews, Reddy and Whelan,
2011).
For example, Asians are one of the large ethnic groups in the UK. They have several culture
beliefs and the health care organization should be aware towards about it. In an extended family, the
oldest male is often the decision maker and spokesperson (Griffith and Tengnah, 2011). The
interests of the entire family are more imperative rather than the interest of individual. In such kind
of family, the older family members are respected by other members and their authority is always
remaining unquestioned. In the Asian culture maintaining harmony is very essential and this thing
3

avoids conflicts and direct confrontation with the family members. The impact of this culture is
many of the times, the recommendations of health care professionals related to treating a disease is
avoided. The following instance shows that the culture of an individual defines his health belief.
2. Maintenance and transmission of culture in the context of wellbeing and informal healthcare
Changes in the culture in a particular region and its maintenance make impact on wellbeing
and informal healthcare services. For example, a positive alteration in culture brings the awareness
in the people of a community regarding the wellbeing and health beliefs. This also supports the
informal health care services in positive direction. But if the culture of an area has not maintained in
the context of health then it will surely not bring any kind of improvements in health and well being
of individual (Handy, 2014). In addition to this, it will not promote informal healthcare services in
the community. So, maintenance and transmission of culture in the context of wellbeing and
informal healthcare is most important.
3. Impact of culture on physical activity
Culture of a community affects the physical activity of individual. This impact can be
understood from different examples. Poor nutrition and busy life are the responsible factors of
excess weight among UK children (Kline and Preston-Shoot, 2012). From the research, it has found
that there are less likely to eat the recommended daily amount of fruits, whole grains and fruits and
are more likely to consume those food items that contains high amount of fat and sodium. These
children are less physically active and more likely to watch to TV while eating. Due to this, the
body weight becomes start to increase and there are no social pressures to lose weight. The
increased weight in the childhood becomes the reason of obesity disease in the future. It makes
unable them to physically active and takes part in different activities. So, this shows how the culture
makes impacts on physical activity of individual (Herring, 2013).
Another example is taking from the Indian culture. In the past time, the females were not
allowed to being a part of the physical activities such as sports etc. That time, the people were
known that females are only made for doing household work rather than outside work or physical
activities. Those things were made physically inactive. But with the time, the following culture of
India has become changed. Now, the parents are supporting their daughters to take a part in the
different kinds of physical activities such sports etc (Lloyd, 2010). The change in this culture
becomes make the female more physically active and enable to play different roles in the life.
Therefore, from the above discussion, it has been clear that the culture in which person in
living affects this physical activeness in both positive and negative manner.
4

4. Social support in the context of informal healthcare with examples
Informal health care is a care services that given to dependent persons who is ill, at elder
age, handicapped etc. These services are providing by going outside the frameworks and rule of
organized, paid and professional work. In the present time, in the UK, different communities have
started to adopt care policies for dependent peoples who are facing various mental or physical
health issues (Pike and et.al., 2011). On the other hand, social support means having friends,
families and other members that helps individual at the time of crisis to give a broader focus on
maintaining a positive attitude. It supports the concept of informal healthcare services in an
effective manner. This can be understood from an example. In the UK, there are many people who
face dementia health issues in elderly age. There are many care homes which provides the health
care services related to this disease. But most of them care organizations are unable to arrange the
funds for the proper treatment of these patients. Due to this, the services users do not getting right
treatment for illness on right time (Moss, 2012). In this case, if the local community of the UK
supports in the context of informal healthcare then this issue can be resolve. Suppose the medicines
vendors can deliver the medicines to these dementia cares homes on low cost and can be work as
informal health care service providers. So such kinds of social support in the context of informal
healthcare assist in minimizing different health issues.
5. Nature of social participation in the context of health
Social participation are those activities that undertaken inside and outside the house. It
allows the participations to meet with the others, give contribution to others and staying involved in
community. In the context of health, social participation can be divided into productive and
recreational activities. In productive social participation, individual contributes his or her resources
in the society with the help of either voluntary or any association (Sheehan and Griffiths 2011).
While in recreational social participation, the person improve own well being and self develop with
different activities. There are various benefits and limitations of social participations in the context
of health. These can be understood by an example. Connectivity of a person with the community all
the time give him feeling of self efficacy, a sense of meaning of living in the society and better
mental health. Social participation supports the well being of individual. Suppose a person is
physiological not good and the reason of this because of his less social participations. It has affected
his neuroendocrine and immune systems. So, the benefit of social participation is to increase the
well being and improve the health of individual. But there are different factors that limit the social
participation of a person (VanVactor, 2013). The culture, chronic conditions, elderly age, health
issues etc are some elements which create barriers to social participation. For example, chronic
5

disease and locometer activities limit the participation of elder age people in social work. On the
other hand, socio-economic status and gender discrimination in the community may also develop a
barrier to individual to being a part of social activities. From the above discussion, it has determined
that the major benefit of social participation is improving the well being. But there some limitations
that reduce contribution of person in community work in the context of health.
6. Construction of personal control and outline ways that can be applied in the development of
rehabilitation programs and services
There are different phases can be considered at the time of developing personal control for
rehabilitation service users. These are determining the issue of patients, develop the treatment as per
the requirement of users, impose those options on service user and monitor the improvement in
individual. From these activities, an effective personal control plan can be developed for
rehabilitation patients (Willis, 2013). On the other hand, there are different ways by which
development of rehabilitation programs and services can be improved. In this context, rehabilitation
outcomes are one of the methods which allow proving success in rehabilitation service area. It will
bring the improvement in related programs and services. On the other hand, by sharing the client
success stories in rehabilitation programs, it becomes easy to enhance the quality of services in right
manner. Along with this, by educating the people related to services of rehabilitation during the
programs, it will bring the enhancement in the related services (Green, 2013).
CONCLUSION
From the above study, it can be concluded that culture is a pattern of ideas, customers and
behaviours shared by an individual or a community. It has made the impact on the health beliefs of
the people. Along with this, it also influenced the level of perceptions of illness and health, opinions
and myths regarding the causes of diseases etc. A culture of a person has affected the health
promotion strategies of the health care organizations. Beside this, it has assisted the health care
professionals to know about the requirements and needs of the care users related to the treatments of
diseases.
6

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Acton, A., 2013. Issues in Dentistry, Oral Health, Deontology, and Craniofacial Research.
Scholarly Editions.
Andrews, T., Reddy, L., and Whelan, P., 2011. Addressing the needs of older people with co-morbid
alcohol and mental health disorders: a case series from a London Community Mental Health
Team (CMHT). Advances in Dual Diagnosis. 4(1). pp. 8–16.
Fakhimi, M. and Probert, J., 2013. Operations research within UK healthcare: a review. Journal of
Enterprise Information Management. 26(1/2). pp. 21–49.
Griffith, R. and Tengnah, C., 2011. Law and Professional Issues in Nursing. Learning Matters.
Handy, C., 2014. Housing, health and social care – an introduction. Journal of Integrated Care.
22(1). pp. 4–9.
Herring, J., 2013. Q&A Medical Law 2013-2014. Routhledge.
Kline, R. and Preston-Shoot, M., 2012. Professional Accountability in Social Care and Health:
Challenging unacceptable practice and its management. Learning Matters.
Lloyd, M., 2010. A Practical Guide to Care Planning in Health and Social Care. McGraw-Hill
International
Moss, B., 2012. Communication Skills in Health and Social Care. SAGE.
Pike, L. and et.al., 2011. Training, knowledge and confidence in safeguarding adults: results from a
postal survey of the health and social care sector in a single county. Journal of Adult
Protection. 13(5). pp.259-274.
Sheehan, M. and Griffiths, J., 2011. Understanding the context of workplace health management as
it relates to workplace bullying. International Journal of Workplace Health Management.
4(1). pp.5–12.
VanVactor, J., 2013. Leveraging the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model as a health
care logistics support strategy. Leadership in Health Services. 26(2). pp.95 – 10.
Willis, O. D., 2013. Business Basics for Dentists. John Wiley & Sons.
Online
Green, A., 2013. 5 WAYS EFFECTIVE REHAB SERVICES CAN IMPROVE YOUR CENSUS.
[Online]. Available through: <https://www.htstherapy.com/5-ways-effective-rehab-services-
can-improve-your-census/>. [Accessed on 21st October 2016].
How Culture Influences Health. 2016. [Online]. Available through:
<http://www.kidsnewtocanada.ca/culture/influence >. [Accessed on 21st October 2016].
7

8