Chapter 4, Problem 1O

Summary Introduction

To discuss:

The various cultural factors that may influence an individual’s response to medications.

Introduction:

The impact of specific drug response provides the knowledge to understand the cultural characteristics of people and it is termed as ethnopharmacology. The study cultural factors such as genetics and ethnicity on drug response are termed as pharmacogenomics. It helps to know the different drug responses of different individuals.

Explanation of Solution

The cultural factors are classified into customary beliefs, racial material traits, social, or religious forms as follows:

Cultural group	Health beliefs and alternative healers	Response to medications or biological variation
African	Folk medicines by using herbs, oils, and roots	Lactose intolerance, Sickle cell anemia, Keloid formation, variation in skin color.
Asian	Traditional medicines especially hot and cold foods. Acupuncturist, herbalist, Tai chi, QiGong, and acupressurist.	Many drug interactions, thalassemia, lactose intolerance, and skin color.
Hispanic	Hot, cold and herbs are used as healers. They use curandero spiritualist.	Lactose intolerance and skin color.
Native American	They believe harmony with nature and they strongly believe that ill spirits are causing disease. Use medicine man	Cleft uvula, Lactose intolerance, and skin color

Conclusion

Thus, the various cultural factors are discussed for individual response to the medications.