NURS 103 SCORLARLY ASSIGNMENT

EXPLORING
HEALTH BELIEFS
AND
DETERMINANTS OF
HEALTH
NAME- TENZIN LEKTSOK
STUDENT # N01028436
INSTRUCTOR- WENDY CHOW
HUMBER COLLEGE

INTRODUCTION
In todays world of immense diversities, every cultures, societies, and ethnic groups have
their own perspective on health and approaches towards being healthy. For instance, in the
western countries, illness is the consequences of scientific phenomenon and they tend to
rely on modern medications and sophisticated technology. On the other hand some societies
they believe that illness is due to supernatural phenomenon and practices rituals and spirit
invocations. Being in multicultural society of Canada it is essential to know these cultural
differences so that we can easily deal with these various situations and provide cultural
competence care.

DEFINATION OF HEALTH
There are lots of definitions that we find on heath but most suitable definition of health for
me was the definition of health given by WHO A state of complete physical, mental and
social well being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity. (Ross-Kerr, Wood,
Astle, Duggleby, 2014, p2). Most people have the notion of health as just physical well
being where you dont have disease but I consider health is not just the physical well being
rather it should be in holistic way in which we must include the mental and social wellbeing
as well. I personally belief that mind and body is almost inseparable like water mixed with
water. Mind and body both are very much interdependent that if something happen to
mental health it affects the physical health as well and vice versa. They both significantly
impact the quality of life. For instance, people recover faster from there illness when there
minds are calm, happy and open. Having healthy body our mind are more fresh and
workable.

TWO DETERMINANTS OF HEATLH FACTORS

As there are many factors which influences the health of the person but 2 factors which I
found very influential to my personal health belief are as follows
Income and social status
Growing up in the poor family and seeing my parents struggling through various
difficulties to have better health and life has hugely impact on me from childhood days.
Fortunately, I had not much health issues but my uncle who had liver cancer and my
family were not able to provide the fuller medication facilities because of the high expenses.
So I believe that income and the social status plays a very huge role in staying healthy. In
this modern world, without proper financial status it is hard to maintain and live a long
healthy life. For instance, in hospital people who are high dignitaries and individuals who
can afford to pay more have privilege to stay in better facilities and given better services.
Education
Personally education is eye-opener for me as it has constantly helped me to choose the right
decision. It has been my guideline to healthy life. Since from my childhood I had huge
interest in modern education. It has been very realistic and has served so many people and
still serving the humanity. Particularly in science field, there have been immense
developments in knowledge of human body and its functions. It has cured so many diseases
that as never been able to cure in the past. In my country there were lots of people died
because of cancer, aids and other chronic diseases. People were in misery and despair for
decades and then modern science has been breakthrough in overcoming these calamities. It
is still developing further more. Becoming educated person I have more opportunities to

get job and not only become self sufficient but I can serve my family and other
communities as well.

COMPARISON OF CULTURE/ETHINIC/SPIRITUAL/RELIGIOUS BELIEFS WITH MY

CLASSMATE
My culture is very much base on religion and majority of population are Buddhist.
Livelihoods of Tibetans are mostly in agricultural field and raising live stocks. Main staple
food is meat and flour (milled roasted barley) which is called Tsampa. Although consuming
meat is strictly restricted in Buddhism but Tibetan eats meat because since only a few
crops are grown at high altitudes of Tibet. They drinks lots of salted tea and eat dry yak
meat. Most of the people are very respectful and humble to elderly people as they
considered them as more experience, wise and kind. Helping weaker and sick people are
highly appreciated because the concept of karma is very strongly embedded in their mind;
where doing good thing will bring positive results and doing bad thing will have negative
consequences. Tibetan perspective on health is more emphasised on mental wellbeing. They
belief that mental health is superior to physical health. Doing meditation, praying and
yoga are some of few main ways to keep there mind and body peaceful and healthy. Tibet is
materially backward and hospitals are only found in major cities and people are skeptical
about the modern scientific treatment and usually stick with their traditional medical
approaches.
There were some differences that I have found while discussing about my culture
with my classmate who is from different culture background. First of all, my friends
religion believes in creator and his creations of entire world and beings, however in my

religion we strongly emphasis on cause and effect rather than creator. So it is individual
who create their own destiny. So whatever negative or positive things that we had suffered
or still suffering are considered as result of your past good or bad karma. For example, if
person is suffering from chronic disease which is incurable than individual will assume it as
result of his past negative deed.
Secondly, some part of his country they have the ritual of sacrificing animal and offering
blood on the gods statue to cure the diseases and to have healthy life but this is strongly
objected in my culture as Tibetan

belief that curing someone by harming other is

unacceptable. Tibetan they trust more on the herbal and natural treatment. Despite some
difference there are lots of similarities in our background as well. For instance, respecting
elderly people, considering sick person as your brother or sisters, going temple etc.

ANAYSIS FROM THE COMPARATIVE LEARNING AND NURSING PRACTICE

Nurses should be non judgemental and tolerant about patients values, practices, norms
and beliefs. (Watkins, 2000, p.338) Even though we have difference in our cultural
background, I must not impose my own culture on them. First I should analyze my own
cultural belief which could directly affect the care that I am going to give to my client. Then
I should know about the clients culture and assess the sociocultural factors effecting
clients care. Furthermore, I have to involve in cross cultural interactions and then learn
from other culture and build culture similarities.
In terms of client having single faith to the god and his creation, I
should not reject his view because of difference in philosophies and different religion.
However, I should try to learn there religions background and its philosophies so that I

might form a mutual trust, therapeutic and professional relationship with the client. I
should find the similarities or common in religion background like appreciating there
religions goal which is to promote compassion, loving and kindness.

CONCLUSION
Exploring these health beliefs of various cultural backgrounds will help us to maintain
respectful, therapeutic and professional relationship between nurse and client which is the
basis to providing culturally competent care. Moreover clients health is very much
depending on the many factors as it is important to improve these determinants to have a
better and healthier life.

REFERENCES
Potter,P,A., Perry,A,G., Ross-Kerr., & Wood,M,J. (2006). Canadian Fundamentals of
Nursing, 3, 3.

Watkins,M, J.(2000). Competency for nursing practice,9,338-346.