Cross-Cultural Health Perspective (Essay #2)

Cross-Cultural Health Perspective
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Cross-Cultural Health Perspectives
Overview
The issue of febrile illnesses among children below the age of five years may be common but if not well examined, this would eventually result to serious illnesses like malaria. In the area of South-West Nigeria, these cases are numerous where children under the age of five years experience febrile illnesses and after sometime it turns into malaria. Yet, malaria has been a determinant of the mortality of such children especially within an African set-up (Iwelunmor, Newsome & Airhihenbuwa, 2014). Many children, as well as adults have died because of late treatment and negligence of the people involved. In the past years, the African countries did not take actions against malaria because they thought that it was not a serious disease. However, the massive record of the lives that continue to perish raised an alarm that every individual ought to play their part in fighting the battle of malaria. Measures of preventing malaria have been communicated amongst communities although it is still among the killer diseases within these communities.
Cultural Identity
The people of South-West Nigeria are among the Africans who initially believed in domestic treatment. Before modernization came into African countries, they would use herbs and medicine men for treatment. Thus, even though the countries have adjusted to visiting hospitals and clinics, there are some of the primitive practices that still dwell within the communities and thus lagging them behind in treatment and mortality. For instance in the research performed, a reasonable number of mother with children below the age of five years delay in taking their children for treatment with the mentality that they will be well soon, even without medical attention. The people may also not really consider going to hospitals because of their economic condition. This is because they depend on farms...