CULTURE — a pattern of ideas, customs and behaviors shared by a particular people or society — can influence our decisions toward our health especially during an ongoing global pandemic.
Local residents interviewed by this writer noted that despite advice from experts, not everyone wants to wear a mask or to get vaccinated.
The influence of culture (including politics) on health policies is extensive. Culture affects perception of health, approaches to health, where patients should seek help, the types of treatment patients prefer, how illness and pain are experienced and expressed, beliefs about the causes of disease, and illness and death.
One local resident believes that positive thinking and a healthy lifestyle are the keys to better health.
Another local resident, Elena Sutton, hopes the pandemic will end soon. She said her son visited from the U.S recently.
“In our Pacific culture,” she added, “we spend a good amount of time with family. But because of the pandemic, my son had to be isolated for seven days after arriving on island so he ended up spending only eight days with us.”
She said perhaps quarantine travelers who have been fully vaccinated already should not be quarantined.
Other local residents said there have been fewer family events and activities because of Covid-19.
“The pandemic is not good for anyone, even for our culture,” one of them said.
