Globally, the perception of health and illness varies in different regions and cultures. One of the most important influencers of the divergent views is the peoples’ traditions. This essay is a presentation of Korea’s traditional perception of health and illness as gathered from a Korean health care professional. It is also aimed at highlighting the likely impacts of the findings on the nursing practice.
It was established that Koreans are mostly Christian or Buddhist and indigenous to the Korean peninsula. They mainly inhabit North and South Korea. They are also found in China, Japan, Philippines, Vietnam, Russia, Australia, the United States and Canada to a lesser extent. The primary language is Han-gul which has several dialects, and most Koreans are comfortable communicating with it than any other language. The main health issues affecting Koreans both at home and abroad include suicide, alcoholism, smoking, air pollution, and chronic diseases. Several diseases are predominant amongst the elderly. These include circulatory diseases (such as hypertension), cancer, diabetes, dementia, and respiratory and musculoskeletal diseases. The most common characteristics of the Korean society include kinship, great respect and regard for parents, clearly defined household roles, patriarchy, a strong spirit of interdependence, and a good education. Blood relatives are held in high regard and being full-blooded Korean is priceless. The implication of these is that the opinion of relatives regarding an illness is far greater than that of a physician. Likewise, a closer attention is given to male diseases as opposed to the females’. Another important discovery is that adoption outside the family is frowned upon, especially by the older generation.
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The traditional Korean approach to health and illness revolve around Hanbang, Hanyak , or oriental medicine. This is the preferred healthcare system and is derived from Chinese medicine. The Hanbang is used to maintain a balance between um , the equivalent of Chinese yin (passive force of the universe) and yang (active force of the universe). It also fosters the balance of fire, earth, metal, water and wood. Diagnosis using this type of medicine is through observation, anamnesis, checking the pulse rate, and listening to the patient’s voice. The most commonly prescribed treatments include acupuncture, moxibustion, herbs, and cupping. The treatments are directed at awakening the ki , the equivalent to the Chinese C’hi , which is the life force or flow of life energy and blood.
Illness is perceived as the interruption of Ki because of an imbalance in living patterns, food intake, and blood as well as the presence of cold, dampness and wind. Another important concept connected to health is kibun . This relates to mood, feelings and state of mind that should remain undisturbed. This concept is important in understanding “fire illness” or open expression of emotions, where emotion affects organ systems and flow of Ki. This condition is commonly associated with misunderstandings with relatives and family members. Spiritual causes are also attributed to illness and range from failure to pray to unhappy ancestors. Thus, Korean patients may alternate between conventional and oriental medicine creating difficulties for health providers.
The considerations for the provision of health care to Koreans include language problems, unfamiliar systems and beliefs. Others are poor communication in languages other than the traditional Han-gul . The unorthodox conceptualization of disease may create difficulties for the conventional health care provider. Also, preference is given to a health provider of the same sex as well as same social standing. Moreover, most Koreans will hesitate to divulge sensitive medical matters to unfamiliar health providers. Exploring the history of illness should involve such questions as the probable Korean name of the disease, the likely cause, whether herbal medication has been taken, the results of the herbal medication, as well as familial relations in line with Korean beliefs. The organization of Korean society also has implications for medical decisions and managing medical news. This is due to its patriarchal nature and the utmost regard and respect for authority as well as loyalty. Understanding conventional medication, dosage levels, differentiating disease conditions is problematic both on the patient side as well as from the health provider’s perspective. Therefore, efforts to explain dosages and distinguish the different forms of diseases, as well as their management to Korean patients, are paramount. In conclusion, traditional perception of health and illness significantly influences nursing practice in Korea.
