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Archive for the ‘Chinese Health’ Category

The traditional Chinese health beliefs adopt a holistic approach emphasizes the importance of environmental factors in increasing risk of disease. According to Quah (1985), these factors affect the balance of body harmony, yin and yang. These two forces are opposite but complementary and together with Qi (vital energy), they control the universe and explain the relationship between people and their environment. Imbalance in these two forces, or qi, causing the disease.

To restore equilibrium, the traditional practices corrective measures are needed. For example, energy can be “hot” the excess may be offset by cooling herbal teas, and vice versa. These beliefs are deeply rooted among the Chinese, and showed that migration unchanged after Singapore.

Lee et al. al. (2004) found that patients with certain chronic diseases, namely arthritis, musculoskeletal diseases and stroke are more likely to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to use. This has been strongly influenced by the triad of chronic diseases, perceived satisfaction of health care and cultural beliefs.

Hence the use of TCM is not associated with the quality of doctor-patient interaction. Astin (1998) also agreed that it was considered more compatible with patients’ values, spiritual and religious philosophy, or beliefs about the nature and importance of health and disease.

In traditional Chinese culture, the medication is considered aversive, therefore, the drugs tend to be taken only until symptoms are relieved and then discontinued when symptoms are not clear, may never have drugs.

Apart from parents cultural beliefs, low side effects of some antibiotics, such as upset stomach may contribute to poor compliance with medication. The use of “leftovers”, “sharing” of antibiotics and the purchase of OTC-antibiotics by parents are common situations in the community.

They think their children suffer from the same disease, judging by similar symptoms, so they would be “left” or “shared” antibiotics to their children and they do their physician if no improvement is observed (Chang & Tang, 2006). This can lead to conditions deteriorate and may require aggressive treatment could then have unnecessary side effects.

However, there are small groups of Chinese who also have poor health or accident to blame supernatural forces or divine punishment, or the malice of a “witch” or “sorcerer” (Helman, 1994). These groups are usually seek cures from their religions.

In Singapore, the Ministry of Health created the TCM practitioners’ code of ethics and ethical principles for medical unscrupulous advantage of their prevention and patients taking advantage of their beliefs, like molest unsuspecting patients.

The degree of acculturation has been shown in the following case. An old man was admitted to our hospital with a history of a week of malaise, nausea and vomiting, jaundice and sudden. He was diagnosed with an obstructive mass in the liver.

A biopsy revealed hepatocellular carcinoma. The serological test suggested chronic active hepatitis B. As news broke of his son that his father had cancer, he asked not to mention his father.

When we discussed end of life such as palliative care and “do not resuscitate” (DNR), the son tried to divert the discussion to other issues, such as when his father could come home.

Cultural issues that may be involved in this case are as follows:

The Chinese tend to protect the elderly from bad news.

Believing in karma – the elderly believe that illness and death to discuss or dying is bad luck. They think that talking about something bad will cause the hatch.

There is an increased incidence of liver cancer caused by hepatitis due to delayed treatment in the elderly B as it may take some time for them to accept the initial diagnosis.