It is important to be aware about the knowledge and belief of the patient. It would be beneficial for the patient and their disease process and easier and competent for the health care professionals. Because people from different ethnicity and culture has different beliefs, views, attitudes towards medical practice. According to Cuellar et al., (2003) “The use of CAM was recorded as far back as 4,000 years ago, including work from Aristotle, who is believed to have been one of the first physicians to speak on the benefits of CAM” (p.2). Plant and plant products has been used commonly as a folk traditional medicines. Herbs and herbal pharmacopoeias has been used from ancient cultures. The pharmacological scientific medicine was converted from many herbal origins of native peoples in twentieth century. In the conventional health care system, there are common traditional health care system integrated which includes Ayurvedic medicine, Chinese medicine, Mexican folk medicine, and African American folk medicines etc. In western culture, it is believed that germs causes disease. On the other hand, spirit possessions has great interferences with the disease process and upset body balance in Asian and cultures. Homeostasis is referred in western culture. However, Asian believes healthy body is a state of balance and illness occurs when the balance …show more content…
The use of complimentary, alternative, and traditional therapies has been increased and the health care providers should encounter this issue during patient care. As a health care professional, the nurse should question this topics during their very first admission. They should respect their beliefs and values. It is important to encounter cultural beliefs and traditions regarding the cause of the disease and how it should be treated. Sometimes, this complementary and alternative treatment becomes a barrier and delays the conventional treatment and potentially life-saving interventions. Lots of patients whoever uses herbal or ayurvedic or homeopathic treatment, do not disclose it to the health care providers. It is also harmful because these treatments may interact with western medicine. That’s why, the health care professionals should be non-judgmental, and should ask open-ended questions to get the proper answer about their health related beliefs and