CULTURE ON HEALTH DISPARITIES

Culture on Health Disparities

Culture on health disparities

Human globalisation as a phenomenon has lead to a creation of a new kind of social world, one which is inclined towards the diversity of cultures. This cultural diversity includes different sets of religions, values, ethical implications, legal implications, and beliefs, level of services, communication styles, languages, and different set of ages which are revolving today with in a single society and has affected different aspects of life both personally and professionally. Moreover, professionally it has had a great impact, because previously one only had to learn within the perspective of his or her own culture and values, but now has to consider various other aspects and learn about dealing with a multiplicity of peoples who now reside in a contemporary social community (Lipson et al, 1996).

Personal Social Status

Culture has its own lens for classifying its members that are unique and arbitrary. There are multiple identities to people yet the culture which is assumed is the most dominant one, whereas the minority is not. Individual's social status can be categorized based on a variety of factors. My personal status according to the 19 social categories in the journal of transitional nursing volume 21 is as following,

Immigrant: Immigrants are those people who leave their country of origin and live in another country due to a variety of reasons which may include seeking religious freedom or trying to gain a better establish economic status. Except the indigenous or the native Alaskans or American Indians living in the United States, everyone else is an immigrant (Spector, 2009). I personally am an immigrant living in the US.

Nationality: Nationality refers to the legal allegiance which a person owes to a particular nation regardless of the culture, religion or ethnicity (Connor, 1994). My nationality is Nigerian.

Ethnicity: It's a one's perception of oneself in a sense of belonging to a particular ethnic group or sometimes even more than just on group. Generation often determines what ethnicity a person belongs to (Doutrich and Colclough, 2008). I personally belong to the Yoruba culture.

Religion: Religion basically explains ones beliefs regarding the existence of life itself. It's the concept of Deity or God and a supreme being. It defines ones behavior, thinking and ideas and how one act in a society (Andrews, 2007).. I personally am a Christian and belong to Christianity religion.

Gender: Gender plays various roles in cultures and ...