What are the mpacts of Cultural and Religious Beliefs on Health? Culture and religious beliefs play a critical role in compliance, which is the willingness to
adhere to the doctor’s recommendations. They influence health care at all levels, including interactions with providers, health care
outcomes, and illness experience. Diverse religious and spiritual beliefs impact patient
experiences in health care and influence their decisions regarding treatment. Different cultures and religions define illness in unique ways. Some religions view illness as a spiritual punishment or a test of faith rather than a medical condition.
What are the mpacts of Cultural and Religious Beliefs on Health?
For instance, some religious and cultural beliefs influence patients to forgo medical care,
refuse life-saving procedures, or choose faith over medication.
Most of the people belonging to the African American ethnic group identify with the
Islamic religion. Muslims believe that illness, suffering, pain and even death are a test from God. Some other go to the extent of perceiving illness as a trial by which
one’s sins are removed. The religious beliefs of most African Americans
who identify themselves with the Islamic religion cause them not to seek medical help when they
are ill. Such beliefs cause non-compliance with prescribed treatment regimens, and thus negatively affects care outcomes.
The majority of non-Hispanic whites identify themselves with the catholic faith. They
believe that every catholic believer is obligated to attend weekly mass. Those that are sick also
believe that the sacrament of the sick by a priest goes a long way in helping them improve. Catholics also believe that abortion is prohibited and that artificial birth control is unacceptable . This means that treatment plans that contradict non-Hispanic white beliefs would negatively affect their compliance with the prescribed treatment regimens. This would subsequently affect the treatment outcomes.
Fasting is a religious practice that impact medication adherence and nutritional intake. APA