The ravages of illness and disease are elements that all people will eventually have to face at some point throughout the course of their lives. It is interesting to consider that disease is such a consistent force in life affecting people of all cultures equally, and yet every culture seems to have it’s own unique way of interpreting the causes of illness and treating diseases. Over the course of human history, there have been many cultures that have believed in the power of supernatural specters and the shamans who seek to cure the diseases and evils caused by those specters (Samovar et al 2010: 364). There are groups of people who believe that the body is a self-sufficient system that, with time, will heal itself. Even still there …show more content…
The idea behind biomedical treatment is that diseases may be discovered and cured through comprehensive medical research and treatment. Many of the treatments in the biomedical approach involve medical practitioners that perform surgeries or prescribe rigorously tested pharmaceutical medications. People who live in cultures that value the biomedical approach to health care will visit doctors when they feel like an abnormal event is occurring within the scope of their bodily functions, and the doctors will seek to remove or destroy the factor or factors believed to be the cause of the abnormality (Samovar et al 2010: 368-369). For those who believe in the biomedical approach, there seems to be a strong faith in the individual as an independent and autonomous being that is able to care for and treat itself.
The holistic traditional approach to health care, however, seems to hold a more fatalistic mindset in which one must adjust to the surrounding world to be healthy and happy, not the other way around (Samovar et al 2010: 365-366). The idea behind this fatalistic approach to the treatment of disease is that a person must seek to be in harmony with the world around them in order to live in good health. In addition, the person must realize that they must also seek to maintain harmony in their own being as they are an entire system within themselves that is made up of many
Also sociologists believe that the focus on a particular patient for whom a cure should be found for is limited. As little concerned is paid to environmental and social factors that may lead to ill-health. The biomedical approach tends to focus more on the individual while ignoring the environmental factors that may cause disease.
The biomedical model relies on several assumptions including the concept of mind body dualism with the mind and body seen as separate entities and accepting that they can be treated separately. The body itself was viewed as machine with a broken part that could be repaired or healed by an expert. There is a belief that a disease has its origin in a specific and knowable cause. The sick body can be examined, treated and repaired without taking other factors into consideration. The doctor holds a detached view of the patient and treats the body in isolation without considering other reasons that contribute to the condition.
As technology continues to evolve, our understanding of sickness and disease grows as well. Modern day technology is able to tell doctors what caused the disease and in ideal situations how to cure it. Recent scientists have begun to look at the desire to kill as a disease. This theory poses an interesting concept that if it is a disease, then maybe there is a cure that prevents serial killers from killing. In Christer Claus and Lars Lidberg’s article they look at the desire to kill as a disease. The article states that while using Schahriar Syndrome as a model, they are able to explain even the most vicious human behaviours, such as planned and repeated homicide (Claus/Lidberg 428). This disease is broken down into five main characteristics: omnipotence, sadistic fantasies, ritualized performance, dehumanization, and symbiotic merger. These five traits are not only common among people with the disease, but among serial killers as well (428). The article states that after a successful killing, the killer is surprised. When the killer is able to get away with murder, a sense of amazement consumes them. Once the killer has repeatedly killed their victim and escaped the authorities, they begin to feel like they are omnipotent. As time goes on, over fifty percent of serial killers experience sadistic fantasies that make them want to keep committing the crimes. Each killer uses their success and sadistic fantasies to form a certain ritual. They begin to believe that if they are
Holistic nursing to me is a practice of applying both subjective and objective patient assessment into the plan of care. Not only do we need to look at the physical condition of the patient, but also their social and environmental factors that influence their state of health. When this application process is incorporated into the patient plan of care, we are incorporating all aspects of the patient’s life that help define and create their ideal state of health. In review of several nursing theories discussed by Montgomery-Dossey and Keegan (2012), which incorporate the aspect of holistic nursing practice, I found that Jean Watson’s Theory of Transpersonal Caring was most closely linked to aspects of my current nursing practice.
- With the holistic approach all patients suffering from the same disease are not viewed and treated as same anymore.
Native American traditional medicine and spiritual healing rituals go back for thousands of years, these traditions often focus on different variations of alternative medicine. This knowledge is passed on throughout generations, many of the tribes learn that by mixing natural plants such as herbs and roots they can make remedies with healing properties. It is believed that being healthy is when people reach a state of harmony not only spiritually, mentally but physically. To be able to overcome the forces that cause illness people must “operate in the context of relationship to four constructs —namely, spirituality (Creator, Mother Earth, Great Father); community (family, clan, tribe/nation); environment (daily life, nature, balance); and self (inner passions and peace, thoughts, and values)” (Portman & Garret, 2006, p.453). In this research paper I am going to show evidence of the tremendous influence that Native American medicine and spiritual healing have over modern medicine in the course of healing
In order to understand health, different models or frameworks for thinking have been developed which have been useful. The Biomedical model which evolved since the 19th century from Galen’s (Greek physician 200AD) concept of pathogen, focused on removing the disease/disability and not on prevention or general well-being [9]. The Biopsychosocial model however, doesn’t merely focus on the physical state of
We reflecting the author’s own culture, she like many people in the United States are a blend of many different cultures and ethnicity. By not having one single ethnic culture her family views health traditions based on their religion of Christian Scientist. Being raised in this religion molded views of health promotion, prevention and treatment that influence her health behaviors today. There is a difference of opinion between Christian Science and traditional medical views. “Christian Scientist interpret disease from a spiritual view where medicine interprets disease from a material point of view” (Stoddard, 2010). As a child our family was raised with the belief that good nutrition, physical activity, and the role of positive thinking and mind over matter, would provide health and help us remain strong and healthy. Not having over the counter medications or turning to traditional medicine for simple medical issues was chosen as our families way of viewing illness. Growing up with the view of health and illness as spiritual using techniques such as meditation, prayer and positive thinking, has stayed as a health tradition among our families beliefs and practices to this day. Today modern medicine is looking at the mind as a valuable tool to prepare persons and bodys for wellness and rehabilitation. An example of this would be biofeedback. This is a technique where people are
Families around the world all have different beliefs and religions that they follow. Some move to America just so they can give their families a better life, but that doesn’t mean that they leave behind the traditions that they followed. It just makes it difficult sometimes for them adjusting to the American ways compared to how they were used too back in their country. Especially when it comes down to how people get sick and how they are treated so that they can get better. Here we discuss about the Hmong culture and how there’s a difference with how they heal people compared to how it’s done in America. Healing someone can be through medicine or any type of treatment from some kind of doctor or as the Hmong heal, they use a shaman. A shaman is a person with a
Grand Canyon University. (2015). Theological anthropology and the phenomenology of disease and illness [Lecture note]. Retrieved from https://lc-ugrad1.gcu.edu/learningPlatform/user/users.html?operation=loggedIn#/learningPlatform/loudBooks/loudbooks.html?currentT
The book “The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down” is an interesting book that explores the distinctions in the perception of human conditions. An explanatory model of illness provides an opportunity to understand how people view their medical conditions (“Explanatory Illness,” n.d.). The explanatory model of illness provides a vantage point for healthcare professionals to understand an individual’s perception of his/her illness (“Explanatory Illness,” n.d.). The model seeks to explore the complex relationship between the physiological condition of an individual and the individual’s social and cultural background.
The biomedical model focuses on the physical or biological aspects of disease and illness. It is more common in western countries of how health care professionals diagnosis and treat patients.The bio-medical use scientific and technological advances to make a cure for many diseases. The issue with the biomedical model is the lack of emphasis on the social, cultural, and other factors that can influence health. There is research supporting the idea that poverty, ethnicity, age, gender, and disability can impact healthcare treatments.However. since the biomedical model ignores this, it causes many people not to have a health care intervention that is relevant to them. The biomedical model use of controlled trials and biomedical evidence give u the best information on the cause of illness or disease. For a medical professional this can be very helpful when working with people with different diseases. Having a better understanding how a disease progress, and how it can affect someone can be useful when coming up with prevention treatments. The information from these controlled trials will be implied to make the best plan of care for a patient. Without the bio-medical model, the advancement in medical treatment will be very slow. The bio-medical model helps to support the professionals with the tools, and information they need to give better treatment to their patient, leading to a better health.However, the biomedical model may not always be beneficial for the patient. This
When looking at the postmodern worldview, many people believe that science is unable to explain the meaning to life. The post-modernistic theory explains that the world consists of an energy that can be manipulated and controlled. As a result of this many scientists and health care workers are looking for a more holistic way of treating patients. In this way the physical, psychological and spiritual needs of the patient are met. This leads to the patient being in complete harmony with their environment (Shelly & Miller, 2006). As a result patients will not be thought of as just a disease but a whole person.
The seen environment present when reading The Death of Ivan Ilych story is the way Ivan’s family lived and the way Ivan treated everyone with coldness. The unseen was depicted by the atmosphere present in Ivan’s’ room, making friends and family members uncomfortable to be there. The storied environment is when Ivan realizes that his life has been a mistake and he converts religiously, he finds God and Ivan repents from all his sins, it is not until then that he found peace in his mind.
Every culture has its own views of health care, diseases, and medical interventions. The way people of a given culture view health care affects how they handle themselves when they fall ill. For instance, the Asian culture believes that illnesses are caused by supernatural phenomena, which should be diagnosed and treated by means of spiritual healing or traditional herbs. Physicians and other medical practitioners should try to understand the cultural beliefs of their patients to handle them appropriately.