The effects of culture on illness behavior and medical care. Asian and American differences

Abstract

This paper examines the effects of culture on illness behavior and medical care by contrasting the differences between American and Asian cultures. We examine the differences in definitions of self and patterns of self-other interaction between these two cultures and how these differences influence the interpretation of illness experience, illness behavior, and interactions among physicians, patients, and families. We propose that understanding the patients' self-concepts and patterns of self-other relationships, which are largely culturally determined, is essential for an objective understanding of the patients' experience of illness, and can profoundly affect the quality of the physician-patient relationship and medical care.