Vulnerable Populations

THE IMPACT OF TRANSCULTURAL BELIEFS AND BEHAVIORS ON HEALTH

In a multicultural society , the impact of transcultural beliefs cannot be overemphasised . Ethnocentrism plays a major role . A situation whereby the patient thinks that the doctor , not being from his or her own part of the world , breeds distrust between them . In this scenario , the patient is already biased towards the doctor and so whatever the doctor prescribes , the patient is not likely to be compliant to the treatment regimen

Also , differences in the level of education , hygiene and social status goes

a long way in determining the impact of this concept and the overall effect it has on the treatment outcome . The ultimate power belongs to the patient because he or she decides whether to comply with the physician 's treatment regimen or not

Language barrier can pose a great treat to treatment outcomes . Efficient communication between the patient and the physician is necessary if any improvement in the health condition of the patient is to be achieved . A situation whereby the doctor misinterprets the patient 's symptoms or complaints is likely to point to other conditions different from the real ones the patient is experiencing . The level of income of different races is also likely to determine the array of treatment options available to them

The social status of different individuals also determines whether he or she would be able to afford the therapy prescribed or even the drugs that would alleviate his or her condition . Racial discrimination can also lead to a bias both on the part of the physician as well as the patient . This can lead to mistrust between the patient and the physician

Abolishment of all these biases can lead to a significant increase in the level of positive outcomes in terms of healthcare delivery . This can be achieved by an increased compliance to drug regimen brought about by an increased level of trust between the physician and the patient reduction in medication errors . Reduction in liability claims by patients due to low quality service can also lead to an increased level of commitment of physicians towards a better health care delivery system

REFERENCES

1 . E . S . Moore (2004 . Transcultural Based Health Care : Quality for Diverse Populations . Accessed from http /gsm .utmck .edu /education /pdf /transcultural_based .pdf

Impact Of Transcultural Beliefs And Behaviours On Health...