Cultural Competency - Multicultural Health Generalizations By Culture
Hinduism and Health
- Hindu Health Beliefs/Practices
- Hinduism: Religious Beliefs and Practices Affecting Health Care
- Hindu Beliefs and Practices Affecting Health Care
Hindu Cultural Responses to Health and Illness
- The sick role is assumed without any feeling of guilt or ineptness in doing one's tasks. Because of strong family and kinship ties, the sick role is well accepted. The individual is cared for and relieved of responsibilities for that time.
- Also because of strong family ties and joint and extended families, Hindus are not likely to use long-term care facilities.
- Because of religious beliefs of karma, Hindus may attempt to be stoic and may not exhibit symptoms of pain. Furthermore, pain is attributed to God's will, the wrath of God, or a punishment from God and is to be endured with courage. As a result, healthcare providers may want to rely more on the nonverbal aspects of pain.
- The practice of self-medicating may mask disease symptoms until the health condition is at a more advanced stage, making treatment regimens more complex.
- Some Hindus might have a fatalistic attitude about illness causation.
- Because of the stigma attached to seeking professional psychiatric help, many Hindus do not access the healthcare system. Instead, family and friends seem to be the best help and a general belief is that time is the best healer.
Source: Purnell, L. D., & Paulanka, B. J. (1998). Transcultural Health Care: A Culturally Competent Approach. Philadelphia, PA: F. A. Davis Company.
Hindu Dietary Practices
- In keeping with their belief in non-violence towards all living things, many Hindus are vegetarian.
- Hindus may be offended by any form of meat from cows, since cows are considered sacred animals.
- A customary eating schedule for many Hindus would include a light meal in the morning, heavy meal at midday, and another light meal in the evening.
- According to Hindu dietary law, the right hand is used for eating, while the left hand is used for toileting and hygiene.
- Personal hygiene is very important and bathing is required every
day; bathing after a meal may be viewed as injurious. - Various Hindus may fast on different days depending upon the god they choose to worship. Fasting may refer to no food or to one meal a day.
Sources: Minarik, P. A. (1996). Culture and Nursing Care: A Pocket Guide. California: University of California. Workforce Development and Diversity Strategies Division, Corporate Human Resources. (1999). Ethnic Resource Guide. Hinduism. p.71. (3rd. ed.) Michigan: Henry Ford Health System.
Hindu Healthcare Customs and Beliefs
Hindu healthcare customs and beliefs often contribute to the decision for medical care and choice of healthcare services. The actions of supernatural forces and certain human excesses may be considered important in illness causation among Hindus, regardless of education level. Furthermore, regional variations in the intensity and strength of the belief system are significant. For example, some believe that excessive consumption of sweets causes round worms and that too much sexual activity and worry are associated with tuberculosis. In addition, diarrhea and cholera may be perceived to be caused by a variety of improper eating habits (Taylor, 1976, as cited in Purnell, L. D., & Paulanka, B. J., 1998). Therefore, healthcare providers should not take for granted that all Hindu immigrants, who come from different regions of India, have the same belief systems with the same degree of intensity. Deep-rooted beliefs about illnesses can inhibit the acceptance of scientific causes for disease, resulting in treatment challenges.
Source: Purnell, L. D., & Paulanka, B. J. (1998). Transcultural health care: A culturally competent approach. Philadelphia, PA: F. A. Davis Company.
