Cultural Competency - Multicultural Health Generalizations: Japanese
Japanese Culture and Health
- Asian Culture Brief: Japan
- Japanese Americans and Self-Care
- Health and Health Care of Japanese American Elders
- Gender Role Development in Japanese Culture
- Japanese Culture: Beliefs and Practices During Pregnancy, Birth, and Postpregnancy
Traditional Japanese Childbirth Customs
- Customarily, after the fifth month of pregnancy, a Japanese woman will wear a cotton abdomen band called an "Iwata-obi." This is given to her by her family for protection, good luck and an easy birth.
- A month before birth, she will leave her husband and return to her parents' home to give birth.
- Her family will then care for her for one month and she will return to her husband with the child.
Source: Traditional Japanese Childbirth Customs. http://www.hawcc.hawaii.edu/nursing/
Japan_text02.html (disabled) (2004, Jan. 16).
Redirected to: http://www.hawcc.hawaii.edu/nursing/tradjapan2.htm
Japanese Beliefs of Brain Death
- Some Japanese patients approach death with quiet restraint based on Buddhist tradition.
- Unlike members of Western society, some Japanese people believe that the body is as holy as the mind.
- Japanese tradition views the mind and body as one. This belief has led to a reluctance to accept the concept of brain death.
- Although the brain may have irreversibly lost its function, some Japanese people may be hesitant to believe that a person is completely dead when the body shows obvious signs of life.
- Pronouncing such a person as "dead" could be viewed as disrespectful to a future ancestor.
Source:
Sichina, E. S. (2000, Jul. 18). Japanese culture: Religious influences on health beliefs. (Online). University of North Carolina, Greensboro. http://www.uncg.edu/phe/immigrant/japanese/japanreligion.html (disabled) (2002, Feb. 13).
Alternate source: Yoshida, Masayuki, BA, MA, PhD. Reconsidering the Japanese Negative Attitude Toward Brain Death and Organ Transplantation. Eubios Journal of Asian and International Bioethics 14 (2004), 91-95. (Online). http://www.biol.tsukuba.ac.jp/~macer/EJ143/ej143f.htm (disabled)
Redirected to: http://www.lifestudies.org/japanese.html
Symptom and Pain Management among Japanese-Americans:
- Many Japanese-American patients hold a cultural belief of self-control and self-discipline which can contribute to symptom and pain management.
- While older generations may delay seeking medical assistance until symptoms become severe, younger generations may acknowledge illness sooner and be more open to self-care.
- Some Japanese-American patients may seem stoic in expression of pain or discomfort.
- While some maintain a high pain threshold, others may simply refrain from asking for pain medication.
- Older generations might be especially concerned about becoming addicted to medication and therefore, may refuse to take medication as prescribed.
- Patients who do follow healthcare providers' instructions may prefer oral medications to injections.
- When pursuing self-care, Japanese-American patients may be more likely to listen to health care professionals than family members.
Source: Shiba, G. & Oka, R. (1996). "Japanese Americans". Culture and Nursing Care: A Pocket Guide. San Francisco, CA: University of California.
Japanese Religions and Health Practices
- Japanese religions play a significant role in health-care practices.
- Traditional Japanese culture has derived many of its values and customs from the indigenous belief system of Shintoism and the major religions of Buddhism and Confucianism.
- The Shinto belief system is unique to Japan and does not have a specific scripture or dogma, but is based on centuries-old beliefs in a variety of gods. Shinto beliefs include:
- Illness is caused by evil spirits, which can be purged with purification rites.
- Cleanliness is essential.
- Disease may be caused by contact with blood, dead bodies, another’s skin disorder, or other unclean sources.
- Buddhism is based on the teachings of Buddha who identified the four noble truths:
- Life is full of suffering.
- Suffering is caused by desire, or craving.
- The end of suffering will come with the end of desire.
- An eight-fold path leads to the end of desire:
- Right thinking
- Right attitude
- Right speech
- Right conduct
- Right livelihood
- Right effort
- Right mindfulness
- Right contemplation
- Teachings of Confucius include:
- Emphasis on duty and familial loyalty.
- Acceptance of one’s place in life.
- Performing one’s duties with discipline and grace.
- Many people of Japanese ancestry in the U.S. are also practicing Catholics or Protestants
- Many Japanese patients believe in the mind/body/spirit influence on health and the need for balance of bodily energies (the Kampo system).
- To accomplish this balance, Japanese patients may use typical alternative remedies that include:
- Acupuncture
- Herbal teas and remedies
- Therapeutic massage
- Dietary changes to balance “hot” and “cold” energies
- Extended rest to alleviate stress and restore mental harmony, perhaps in quiet, solitary surroundings.
Source: "Japanese and Japanese Americans". Ethnic Resource Guide, 3rd. Edition, Copyright Fall 1999. p.38. Workforce Development and Diversity Strategies Division, Corporate Human Resources, Henry Ford Health System.
