Cultural difference refers to diverse systems of shared rules, concepts, knowledge, custom, or other habits that are acquired by a particular nation, ethnicity, or race.

One main aspect of the workshop that I want to explore more is the influence of culture on individuals’ beliefs about health and wellbeing. After attending the workshop, I have realised that culture has significant impacts on various aspects of health and wellbeing. This includes how people from different cultural backgrounds view health and what belief or rule they follow to be healthy, both of which affect individuals’ health-seeking behaviours.

Take different beliefs of medicine between Asian and Western cultures for example. Western cultures normally focus on pathology and aim to cure or prevent illness by medication or surgery. This might be the reason why people who get a cold tend to take vitamin or go to see their GP, which are ways that they believe can treat illness and keep healthy.

However, for Asian cultures, some people argue that taking western medicine can cure faster, but it would have a harmful influence on overall physical health conditions and disturb body balance state. Therefore, even they have access to see a medical doctor and take western medicine, they tend to seek herbal medicine, which normally need a one-week intake. In Asian culture, herbal medicine is regarded as a more natural and holistic way than western medicine to treat health conditions and regulate natural body balance.If you are interested in herbal medicine, here you can read more about it.

I suppose the outbreak of Coronavirus also reflects the cultural context of health and wellbeing. Cultural difference contributes to different reactions to pandemic. My personal experiences affecting why I said that. Before the Australia government enacted the lockdown rules and restrictions, I had stayed in my home country, Taiwan, for a short vacation. During the time staying in Taiwan, the government and media have gradually paid attention to this pandemic and enacting different stages of restrictions. Taiwanese government also appealed to residents to wear surgical masks to protect ourselves and other people, which is viewed as a way to help stop the spread of Coronavirus.

Do cultural differences impact significantly reactions during the Convid-19?

In my culture, wearing a mask is a way to protect individuals and people who are around, rather than a privilege only for medical staff. In contrast, in western cultures, it is assumed that people who need to wear a mask is seriously ill. It is a different and impressive cultural perspective for me as seeing people wearing masks is common in my life experiences. Due to different cultural backgrounds and beliefs of health, it is likely to occur conflict or misunderstanding during this pandemic.

One day, I wore my mask and planned to go to the supermarket as unusual. When walking on King George Street, two men were standing alongside the pavement and chatting with each other. But, after they noticed my friend and I both wearing masks and would pass by them, they yelled loudly “Corona! Coronavirus!” and some bad words. At that moment, I was shocked and confused about their behaviours. To be honest, I felt unsafe while going outside after encountering this event. I could not imagine how other Asian people feel scared and unsafe after experiencing physical assaults during the pandemic. This is a cultural safety issue resulting from the different cultural contexts of health and wellbeing.

Power

Cultural discourses have powerful impacts on this topic. Culture results in a certain belief system of health and wellbeing. I suppose various factors are contributing to health belief within specific cultural contexts, including government regulations, education, and parenting. This influences how people treat and react to sickness as well as pandemic.

In terms of different health beliefs and conflicts between cultures during the pandemic, I would say media plays an influential role. Media, especially social media, spreads “fake news” or misinformation, which causes panic, fear, and exclusion to Chinese people or other Asian descents. When exclusion or racism towards people from certain cultural backgrounds happened, racial slurs, verbal abuse, and physical intimidation likely occur in the real world, which means cultural safety might get worse in society. Sometimes, I think media reporting news from privileged group perspectives, usually involving biases or prejudice towards specific cultures. Media has the power to construct public belief.

In my perspective, power also lies in individuals. Although people are affected by their culture and have some certain belief about health, how much they follow or conflict with certain health belief depend on each person’s personalities and experiences.

Social work perspectives

At the personal level of future social work practice, I have realized it is important to understand and respect diverse cultures as it helps me analyse clients’ cultural contexts without personal assumption, build rapport with clients and provide culturally sensitive assistance for each. I believe that clients may feel safe and comfortable if I am able to recognize cultural differences in health beliefs and provide a culturally safe service environment. At the group and community level, ensuring all staff, service programs, and surroundings are culturally safe is the priority. Showing respect to all different cultures by avoiding violating their health belief and presenting cultural traditions through photos or activities could be possible ways to maintain cultural safety in the service. At the societal level, I suppose doing large-scale research related to diverse cultural health beliefs could be helpful to design interventions in human and social services that are suitable and respectful to cultural differences.

Author’s note

Glad to hear different opinions and perspectives. Please make a comment and open some discussion.