Question

Many cultures have ethno-etiologies that provide explanations for illness that are not based in science. From a biomedical perspective, the non-scientific medical treatments provided in these cultures have a low likelihood of success. Despite this, people tend to believe that the treatments are working.

• Why do you think people tend to be satisfied with the effectiveness of the treatments they receive?
• In transcultural nursing practice, why would it be important for nurses to understand such ethno-etiologies when nurses interact with patients of different cultures?

please dont copy and paste ans i neee atlewst 200 words

Answer 1

Ethno- etologies and transcultural nursing:

Ethnicity is the common characteristics of a group of people , especially regarding ancestry, culture, language or national experiences. Ethn- etologies provides the cultural explanations for  the underlying causes of diseases and illness. For example in certain region of South Asia, people believes that the frequent cold and respiratory diseases in children is due to the intake of food that is in cold category . They divides certain food items into Hot food ( onion mango, black pepper , garlic , ginger ) and Cold foods ( orange, melons, coconut, pumpkin, most sweet fruits etc. )

Around the globe many cultures have ethno- etiologies, that provide explanation for illness, but it is not on a scientific basis. People tend to believe that their traditional treatments are effective, despite of more unsuccessful cases. It may be due to various factors such as their confidence in spiritual or traditional beliefs or treatments and reduction of symptoms due to the general improvement in health, but they may mistaken this as the result of their traditional treatment or ritual. For example: A child, who is suffering with an allergic bronchitis and breathing difficulties, due to the inhalation of pollens from certain flowering plant. But the parents are unaware about the etiology. They may wait for some days and try some home remedies. If the symptoms are not coming down they may start to try some traditional mehods or traditional medicine, such as offering something to deity or try a traditional medicine. By the time the flowering plants season may change , then there will be reduction in symptoms and after some days the child will be free from the symptoms and the parents may think, it may be due to their traditional method or traditional medicine.  

Trans cultural nursing: It is the ability of a nurse to interact and connect with the people of other cultures by developing transcultural nursing skills like understanding , respecting and deal effectively with other cultures, so that she can improve the health outcome. Nurse has to understand the ethno- etiologies existing in different cultures, then only she can effectively plan the interventions and health education for the patients who belong to a particular culture . She has to be not only aware and respect the culture but also identify the wrong beliefs, that affect the health of the individual and families.  

For example: In certain religious groups, people think that the Colostrum, is not good for the child as it is thick and should not be given , it may cause health problems in baby . But the nurse, who is aware about this cultural practice, can educate the mother and her family members about the importance of first breast milk ( Colostrum) , in the antenatal period itself. So that there will not be any confusion or conflict during exclusive breastfeeding immediately after the child's birth.  

Transcultural nursing empower the nurse to understand the cultural beliefs, regarding health and illness, of different cultural groups, she come across. It is important to understand the ethno- etologies existing in different cultural groups.