When Culture Meets Public Health…

A comparison of differences and similarities of public health in the

United States of America and Vietnam

Priya Chandan, Annie Tran, Brian Le

Overview

Description of Eastern and Western cultures General cultural implications for public health Specific illustrations of differences and

similarities in Vietnam and America

Cultural Components

EAST Native Vietnamese Southeast Asian

Culture Western Culture

WEST European Various Immigrant

Groups Eastern…?

Values

EAST Communal

Relationships

Extended Family Gratitude towards

previous generations

WEST Individual

Reason

Immediate Family Mainly just parents and

children

Values

EAST EducationSuccess

Teachers

WEST Many pathsSuccess

Peter Jennings/Oprah

VS.

Social Interactions

Personal Questions Eastern=family, marital status, hometown Western=individual likes/dislikes

Interactions Between Genders Eastern=B-B, G-G, or B-B + G-G Western=B-G is common

Guest-Host Bond

Cultural Implications for Public Health

Expression of pain Willingness to seek medical help Vietnam

South=more likely to see the doctor and be willing to pay for healthcare

North=more likely to self-medicate

Sites

Hanoi University of Pharmacy CHILILAB Bach Mai, Hanoi Medical University

Hanoi University of Pharmacy

Patient Compliance Self-medication

Philosophy of Medicine East=homeopathic

“Like cures like” West=allopathic

Treat with opposites

Traditional Medicine

80% of peopleherbalist South

Vietnamese medicine Importance of ethno-medicinal plants (EMPs) Mainly herbalist-centered

North Chinese medicine has additional components Acupuncture Food Cures Manipulative Massage

Examples

Scarring Turmeric vs. Neosporin

Fever Bittermelon vs. Analgesics

Cough Ginger vs. Robutussin

CHILILAB

Research Person-based vs. Disease-based

Rehabilitation Center of the Bach Mai University Hospital

Family involvement Care for veterans

Veteran’s Administration Types of rehabilitation Prosthetics Similarities

Lower back problems Misunderstanding of techniques by patients Requests for fancy, advanced therapy

Natural Disasters-Flooding

Public health concern Diarrhea, typhoid, Dengue fever, conjunctivitis,

acute respiratory infections, skin diseases Rampant in Vietnam Recently in America—Katrina Responses

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Disaster Preparedness Program

CDC’s Healthy People 2010 vs. HSPH’s National Health Priorities

DIFFERENCES Arthritis Osteoporosis Cancer Chronic Kidney Disease Disability Food Safety Violence Drugs/Tobacco Abuse Vision and Hearing Physical Activity and

Fitness

SIMILARITIES Educational and

Community-Based Programs

Heart Disease HIV/AIDS Maternal, Infant and Child

Health Mental Disorders