It is important to first understand the different cultural beliefs in Asian populations in order to help improve their health and wellbeing.
What Asian models of health are used in New Zealand?
Examples of models of health in the Asian population include the following:
Scientific and Western biomedical model
This model is based on disease causation and believes that medicine is the art and science of healing. Prevention and treatment of illness is key to maintain and restore health.
Supernatural model
This model is based on the influence of a 'power' or 'powers' on one's health, eg, good health occurs when social relations are good while poor health occurs when social relations are disturbed.
Spiritual or religious model
This model is includes the concept that good health is thought to occur when one is fulfilling the requirements of one's faith, while poor health means one has not been true to their faith.
Humoral or balance model
This model is based on the theory that the human body is filled with 4 basic substances called humors: blood, yellow bile, black bile and phlegm. All diseases and disabilities result from an excess or deficit of one of these.
Moral model
It is believed that a disease or a condition is caused by a moral defect such as laziness, weak will or selfishness.
Psychosocial stress model
This model attributes illness to overwhelming psychosocial stressors.
Reference
- Introduction to Asian cultures Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Courses and Resources, NZ