What strategies are taken to overcome the barriers in some cultures on the acceptance of Western Practices/Medicine?

-- Rita Wulz (ritawulz@yahoo.com.au), June 30, 2004

Answers

In much of the world, we have seen that Western medicine is too expensive, is unavailable, or worst is presented in a way that is inconsistent with traditional beliefs. For example, May (1986) and May and Smith (1988) report that alcoholism is better controlled on reservations when indigenous concepts are included in treatment plans. We cannot ignore the wondrous progress in medicine over the last century, nor can we dismiss the healing techniques of the mind, of attitude, and of the possibility of a spiritual component in healing. Prompt and consistent medical intervention is obviously the treatment for any disease. However, treating physical illness without paying close attention to cultural beliefs, ideas and emotional needs of the patient can have only a partial effect. The insistence of our health services to treat the patient exclusively under the somantic aspects and not taking into account the emotional aspects and increase cost is why alternative systems of medicine not only survive but thrive.

-- victor m. fernandez (victor@culturediversity.org), October 11, 2004.