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Article: Traditional Health Beliefs, Practices
- Article from:
- Encyclopedia of Public Health
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CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 The Gale Group Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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TRADITIONAL HEALTH BELIEFS, PRACTICES
The beliefs and traditions of community members have a profound effect on the health of the community. Traditional beliefs regarding specific health behaviors such as smoking can influence policy, for example, on whether or not funds will be spent on antismoking legislation or on some other matter such as highway infrastructure. These beliefs also influence the types of food, recreational activities, and health services available in a community. Traditional health-related beliefs and practices among different ethnic groups fall into three groups: (1) beliefs that result in no harmful health effects, (2) beliefs that may produce beneficial health ...