Traditional Asian Belief Systems
Every culture has explanatory models of illness. These include ideas about the cause and the onset of symptoms, the pathophysiology of the disease, the natural history of the illness, and the treatments that are appropriate. It is important for providers to understand how patients interpret their illness.
The traditional Asian view of health is holistic, linking mind, body, and soul. It focuses on establishing and maintaining a balance of life energies within each individual's unique constitution (Chin and Bigby 2003). Buddhism and many other Eastern philosophies teach that art and science can coexist and that healing is spiritual as well as scientific (Yee et al. 1999).
Taoism, which has its origins in China, is practiced today by many Taiwanese and Koreans in the US. The Tao, or "the way," is based on the idea of balancing natural processes and forces (such as yin and yang) and is associated with traditional health practices such as holistic medicine, acupuncture, herbalism, and meditation, as well as with the martial arts (Robinson 2003). The health beliefs of traditional Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Vietnamese, Laotians, Hmong, Mien, and Cambodians are influenced by Taoist principles.
| Yang is positive male energy associated with heat and fire. Yin is negative, female energy associated with cold and water. Some AAPIs believe that deficiencies of yin give rise to symptoms of dryness (dry mouth, cough) and heat (fever, inflammation), whereas deficiencies of yang give rise to symptoms of poor vitality and strength (fatigue, impotence) and lack of adequate warmth (chills) (Chin and Bigby 2003). |
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