The American society is a congregation of different cultures of different states. Much of the United States cultural history dates back many centuries. The American society enjoys a number of advantages in having rich and diverse cultural heritage. Despite some advantages, the healthcare sector has had quite a number of challenges when it comes to dealing with patients from some of the minority cultural groups. Some of the minority cultural groups already have healing methods that they practice. The healthcare practitioners usually have to integrate these cultural practices with modern practices to meet the expectations of the patient.

Healthcare providers are responsible for the well-being of their patients. Different health care givers use varied approaches to achieve this responsibility. As a healthcare provider, one will encounter patients from all walks of life. Consequently, a healthcare provider must be open-minded to different faith expressions because the philosophy of providing health care differs from one religion to another. The main focus of any healthcare provider is to safeguard the spiritual, mental, and physical health of the patient. Spiritual health is usually very significant during the healing process. Healthcare providers experience a lot of challenges because they have to accept the different cultural and religious beliefs of the patients. The patient needs to feel like his/her religious beliefs are respected by the healthcare provider as some patients feel that they need to seek God during their healing process. This essay examines cases involving patients from minority backgrounds and seeks to provide a brief analysis of the current state of healthcare with regards to some minority groups. This essay summarizes three belief systems: Native American Spirituality, Baha’i, and Buddhism in efforts to convey that regardless to a patient’s religious beliefs, it is the healthcare provider’s duty to provide the best services available.

Baha’i is named from Baha’u’llah, who was the prophet/founder of this religion. It was started in the mid-nineteenth century. They have two beliefs about creation. They believe that the universe is eternal, which means that individual elements of the universe came into existence at one particular moment and these elements will stop existing in the same manner. On the other hand, they have a dual perspective on healing and human health. They believe offering health care is a service that praises God, but they also believe in divine healing obtained through healing prayers. The Baha’is people do not believe in the Christian’s health perspective of the origin of illness being in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve disobeyed God.

Baha’is people believe that suffering is a test that God gives to his devotee. The critical component in the healing process is the long healing prayers revealed by Baha’u’llah. They believe that through suffering their spirits grow and develop. Just as suffering comes from God, so does the healing. They also believe in the use of physical remedies for the illness. According to them, since God created Advil it is safe for them to use. They will seek medication from other Baha’is, as well as trained doctors.

Baha’is believe they are healthier than non-Baha’is people. They expect health practitioners who are non-Baha’is to respect their beliefs and culture. They condemn the use of drugs and other substances, such as alcohol and cigarettes; they do not expect a doctor to be under influence of such substances when treating them.

Buddhism originated from India into South East Asia in the 3rd century. There are three forms of Buddhism. The major principle of each form is the same-life involves suffering caused by desires and loathing that can be overcome by following a specified path. They do not believe in the existence of one God, but rather they believe that the elements of the universe originated from different causes. The life consists of various elements. In Buddhism, health and healing can be grouped into diseases of the mind and body. Diseases of the body deal with conventional truths, but disease of the mind deal with the ultimate truth. In their definition, health means freedom from any pain. According to Buddhism, the major cause of diseases is defilement. Also, they believe that diseases can be caused by microorganisms, demons, and ghosts too. In healing those ailments caused by ghosts and demons, the sick were required to eat raw flesh and blood. According to their faith, various elements can be used in treating a particular illness. They also believe in preventive medicine and activities of Eight-Fold Path Practice. In Buddhism the critical component of healing is the Noble Eight fold path. It prevents all diseases all followers are encouraged to take care of their bodies. They support techniques that improve human health unless if it is contrary to Noble Eightfold path.

Buddhist have a strong belief in meditation. They require a peaceful and a quiet environment for meditation. Buddhism focuses on relief of pain and some have culturally based issues regarding being treated by a person of the opposite sex. Some do not eat meat and animal by-products; therefore, they might decline medications produced from animal products. They believe that after a patient has died the health providers should keep this body still because it is not devoid of the human spirit immediately.

Native American faith refers to the beliefs of indigenous tribes in America. Their perspective on healing and health is based on herbal treatment and performing rituals to remove mental and physical illness from human beings. Native Americans do not believe in seeking medical treatment. They believe the rituals bring the human soul into harmony with nature and the world of spirits. Native American faith rituals, trances, and visualizations are critical components in the treatment of physical and spiritual illnesses. These rituals have been passed down from their elders, shamans, and medicine men. Rituals are special prayers conducted by the elders and medicine men in search divine healing from the gods and spirits for spiritual illness. In the recent past, there have been state interventions to reduce deaths resulting from this faith, especially on children from curable and preventable diseases. The federal government has been taking legal actions against parents who do not take their children for vaccination. For example, public schools require a vaccination report before a child can attend.

Christians believe in healing miracles, which could be either spontaneous or through use of medication and prayers. They believe God can heal them through a health care provider’s knowledge. According to Christianity, God is the giver of all knowledge and gives different gifts to different people. Some Christians give the Holy Communion to their patients to wash away the sin that could be the cause of the illness. Christians believe that healing and health is an important part of the gospel. They believe that the perfect will of God is that every human being enjoys divine health. The origin of illness is attributed to sin. They believe that life came into existence through God’s creation. The first man (Adam) and woman (Eve) were blameless and free from illness. They enjoyed perfect health and happiness in the Garden of Eden. They were innocent and in fellowship with God until they disobeyed God’s will. Due to their disobedience, sickness and physical death fell upon human beings. They believe in physical and spiritual illness. Whether they take the teachings of the bible in a metaphorical or literal meaning, many Christians believe the bible teaches morals Christians should live by. Likewise, some Christians believe prayers can heal both physical and spiritual illnesses, but they do not negate seeking medical health.

Good healthcare providers are able disregard their own beliefs for the beliefs and practices of the patient, if they are mentally competent. The religious traditions of health and healing are complex. Since healthcare providers deal with people of diverse beliefs and culture, they should help each individual patient and his/her family to interpret how their religious and cultural values relate to a patients stay in the hospital. These beliefs also affect the patient’s personal needs, interaction with staff, and their decisions about treatment. To meet all of these requirements, healthcare systems need to ensure that healthcare professionals receive adequate training in cultural diversity and its effect on a patient’s health choices.

The article is written by Kate Fox, a writer on exclusivepapers .