Indian Culture, Research Paper Example

Introduction

The Indian culture and belief system is unique and committed to specific religious principles and rituals that have existed for many centuries. The Indian people also exercise many different practices that are specific to healthcare needs and reflect a means of exploring the different elements of care and treatment that are essential to their wellbeing. Within this culture, it is important to address some of the most common practices and other rituals that exist in order to determine how patient care and treatment are managed within this cultural environment. The following discussion will address some of the key areas of the Indian culture in greater detail and will emphasize their impact on the delivery of healthcare and the preservation of wellbeing for this population group.

Body

For members of the Indian culture, it is often difficult to manage healthcare needs in an effective manner, due in large part to existing beliefs that often prohibit traditional healthcare practices (Worthington and Gogne, 2011). Therefore, the approach to primary care in India must overcome specific barriers to healthcare practice in order to improve outcomes for this population (Worthington and Gogne, 2011). For many people, there is a belief in different spirits and rituals that must be exercised when health concerns are prominent, rather than using modernized healthcare offerings (Worthington and Gogne, 2011). Therefore, practitioners must reflect upon these challenges and address some of the most important concerns to enable patients who require modern healthcare to achieve this objective (Worthington and Gogne, 2011).

From a social perspective, it is also important to recognize that the people of India do not always seek healthcare because their social standards and norms prohibit this option (Worthington and Gogne, 2011). In this capacity, education may play a role for some people, but for others, the knowledge is available, yet others may choose not to use modern healthcare offerings and instead conform to their religious and cultural traditions, even if these are not as effective in treating an illness or specific condition (Worthington and Gogne, 2011). Furthermore, many women and children in India do not obtain adequate healthcare to meet their needs and face serious risks as a result of these conditions (Paul et.al, 2011). Many women and children do not obtain adequate nutrition and are unable to care for themselves effectively in the home environment (Paul et.al, 2011). In addition, when healthcare and treatment are required, it is not always accessible and may lead to poor healthcare outcomes for many people (Paul et.al, 2011). These poor outcomes are also reflected in poor decision-making for many youth, who may engage in sexual activity without the proper level of protection and increase their risk of STDs and pregnancy (Paul et.al, 2011). The gaps in knowledge and acceptance of healthcare are evident and require an effective intervention by practitioners to ensure that the needs of this population has been met, in spite of cultural and religious expectations (Paul et.al, 2011).

Within the Indian culture, food is an important component of daily living, and specific foods are often avoided, even if they are healthier than the alternative (Palat, 2012). In this context, it is necessary to evaluate the different options to improve healthcare outcomes for this group that are based upon expanded nutrition to improve blood sugar and blood pressure control as necessary (Palat, 2012). Although food is a significant part of the Indian culture, nutrition must be optimized as best as possible in an effort to enable individuals within the culture to consume foods that have nutritional value, even if they might compromise cultural principles to some degree (Palat, 2012). These efforts must demonstrate the impact of nutrition and food education on the choices that are made for these people so that they reduce any possible risk of chronic diseases or weight concerns as best as possible (Palat, 2012).

Conclusion

The development of successful healthcare outcomes for the Indian population requires an effective understanding of the barriers and other principles that prohibit the positive benefits of modern healthcare practice. Healthcare practitioners must provide adequate opportunities for members of this group to obtain the services that are necessary to improve the quality of their care and treatment. In addition, practitioners must also recognize that the barriers to obtaining adequate healthcare services should be identified and explored so that members of this culture recognize that their healthcare challenges might be prevented or managed more effectively in different ways.

The Indian culture is representative of specific religious customs and other principles that may directly interfere with the offerings of modern healthcare practice. As a result, it is important to identify areas where healthcare practitioners might be effective in educating this population in supporting their healthcare needs on a regular basis. The creation of new ideas and approaches to manage the healthcare requirements of this population requires an effective balance between their specific cultural needs and customs and the utilization of modern healthcare techniques in order to improve the lives of this population group in different ways, such as reduced risk of chronic illness and other factors. The Indian culture is highly specific and is grounded in old traditions and beliefs; therefore, it is important to demonstrate that these beliefs should not be ignored in favor of modern healthcare practices, but instead, should be embraced in the form of a compromise between tradition and modernization. This will ensure that those who require healthcare services within the Indian culture are well taken care of in the appropriate manner at all times to ensure that their health and wellbeing is maximized and improved whenever possible.

References

Palat, G. (2012). Reflections from IAHPC board members: cultural health beliefs, practices and attributions in India: effects on health care delivery. International Association for Hospice & Palliative Care, 13(9), retrieved from http://hospicecare.com/about-iahpc/newsletter/2012/9/reflections-from-iahpc-board-members/

Paul, V.K., Sachdev, H.S., Mavalankar, D., Ramachandran, P., Sankar, M.J., Bhandari, N., Sreenivas, V., Sundararaman, T., Govil, T., Orsin, D., and Kirkwood, B. (2011). Reproductive health, and child health and nutrition in India: meeting the challenge. Lancet, 377(9762), 332-349.

Worthington, R.P., and Gogne, A. (2011). Cultural aspects of primary healthcare in India: a case-based analysis. Asia Pacific Family Medicine, 10(8), retrieved from http://www.apfmj.com/content/10/1/8