The Impact of Culture on Health
Culture is a set of rules or standards shared by members of a society, which when acted upon by the members, produce behavior that falls within a range of variations the members consider proper and acceptable. Different cultures have different ideas about the human body, what constitutes illness, what causes illness, and what should be done to treat it. They have different views on how to prevent health problems, what health care they should seek, and the types of remedies that healthcare providers might offer (Skolnik, 2016).
Culture is considered to be a determining factor for a person's health because certain cultural beliefs affect how people think and feel about their body and overall health. When healthcare workers complete patient assessments, questions about culture are usually brought up because culture can help providers gain information about how patients may respond to recommendations for lifestyle changes, health-care interventions, and treatment adherence.
GENDER NORMS IN FRANCE
Dual career families are becoming the norm:
Most French women engage in paid labour, but men are often still seen as the primary income earners. Many women are still expected to fulfil more traditional gender-stereotypical roles such as cooking, cleaning and child-rearing. These expectations persist alongside other commitments such as pursuing higher education or partaking in paid labour (Cultural Atlas, 2017).
Stereotypical view of feminine:
Women face expectations to uphold a stereotypical view of ‘feminine’ in terms of dress, physique and demeanour. For example, women are expected not to demonstrate vulgar behaviour. The stereotype of the “French woman” can present challenges when they travel to a new country. These expectations also add pressure on women in French society (Cultural Atlas, 2017).
Dating and marriage:
Many French people begin dating around the age of 15. In general, women expect men to initiate the relationship. In France, it is common for a female to go to dinner with a male friend, regardless of whether they are dating or not (Cultural Atlas, 2017).
CHANDELEUR
Chandeleur is a French holiday that falls on February 2nd each year. It is celebrated by eating sweet and savory crêpes and drinking hard cider. This holiday, also known as Candlemas on the Catholic calendar, marks the end of the Christmas period, arriving 40 days after Christmas and commemorating the presentation of the infant Jesus at the temple (Aux Petits Soins, 2021).
Negative effects on health:
Diabetes - La Chandeleur is a holiday that is filled with sweet foods and sugary beverages. This traditional holiday can have negative effects on people with diabetes. Consuming high amounts of sugary foods can cause blood glucose levels to rise to dangerous levels resulting in detrimental adverse effects such as diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
CARNAVAL/MARDI GRAS
Mardi Gras (“Fat Tuesday”) is perhaps the most well known French holiday in the U.S. Most Americans associate Mardi Gras with New Orleans, but it’s also wildly popular in many French cities and departments, including Nice and the French West Indies. Carnaval typically involves a public parade, during which people wear masks and costumes surrounding King Vaval, who is represented by a giant mannequin and serves as the king of Carnaval. He is introduced at the beginning of the festival and dies on Ash Wednesday, to be reborn like the phoenix the following year. The food associated with this holiday is another French staple: the beignet, a fried pastry made with sugar, flour and eggs (Aux Petits Soins, 2021).
Negative effects on health:
Eating disorders - Mardi Gras, literally translating from French to “Fat Tuesday” in English, would serve as the last opportunity to eat richly and engage in debauchery before the long, somber days of self-deprivation leading up to Easter (TPN.health, 2021). As a result of "Fat Tuesday" and Lent, French people have a higher risk of developing eating disorders.
High blood pressure - Mardi Gras cuisine is by nature heavy, hearty, and not always healthy. Fried chicken, potato chips and trays of mini muffulettas are found at parade parties up and down the route. For patients who have already been diagnosed with high blood pressure, those extra chicken wings or handfuls of chips leads to an increased consumption of salt, which causes high blood pressure (Bennett, 2023).