Republic of the Philippines

Pangasinan State University

Alaminos City Campus

Alaminos City, Pangasinan

Understanding Culture,
Society and Politics

HEALTH
A. Culture-specific
syndromes and illnesses
B. System of Diagnosis,
Prevention and Healing
C. Health as Human Right
Submitted by : Khrystel Cabigting

Submitted to : Mrs. Irene Noe

Health
A. Culture-specific
syndromes and illnesses
Bughat (Ilonggo term) or
Binat (Tagalog version) is the
term used to refer to the ailments
(headache,chills,body
pains,malaise,dizziness,muscle
weakness, and in some it is
blindness) a mother experiences
after giving birth or after being
suffered abortion or miscarriage if
she did not follow certain rituals
after childbirth.
The list of prohibited activities
include:
1. Drindking cold water
2. Eating coconut or other
coconut-based viand like
ginataan
3. Going up and down the
stairs
4. Getting a manicure or
pedicure
5. Go hungry or miss meals
6. Taking a bath immediately
after giving birth (must be
3-7 days later)
7. Taking a bath in cold water
8. Exposing one’s self to cold
air
9. Sewing
10. Carrying heavy objects
Usog is a Filipino superstition that
attributes an illness to the
greeting of a stranger believed
that young children are vulnerable
to usog. If after encountering a
stranger, a child develops a fever,
the stranger is sought after and
asked to touch lightly his or her
saliva on the child’s forehead,
chest or abdomen. Filipino parents
worry when an unfamiliar person
expresses fondness or even just
stares fondly at their child. And if
the stranger notices that he/she
automatically says
’’Puwerausog…’’ meaning he or
she understands that the parents
are worried of usog.
 B. System of Diagnosis,
Prevention and Healing

1. Traditional medicine
Complementary/alternative
medicine (CAM). The terms
‘’’complementary medicine’’ or
‘’’alternative medicine’’ are often
used interchangeably with
traditional medicine in some
countries. They refer to a broad
set of health care practices that
are not part of the country’s own
tradition and are not integrated
into the dominant health care
system.
 2. Herbal Medicines
Herbal medicines include herbs,
herbal materials, herbal
preparations, and finished herbal
products that contain as active
ingredients parts of plants, or
other plant materials, or
combinations of plant materials.
3. Traditional used of
herbal medicines
Traditional used of herbal
medicines refers to the long
historical used of these medicines.
Their use is well stablished and
widely acknowledge to be safe
and effective, and maybe
accepted by national authorities.
 4. Therapeutic activity
Refers to the successful
prevention, diagnosis, and
treatments of physical and mental
illnesses, improvement of
symptoms of illnesses, as well as
beneficial alternative or regulation
of the physical and mental status
of the body.
5. Active ingredient
Refer to ingredient of herbal
medicines with therapeutic
activity. In herbal medicines
where the active ingredients have
been identified, the preparation of
these medicine should be
standardized to contain a defined
amount of the active ingredients,
if adequate analytical methods are
available. In cases where it is not
possible to identify the active
ingredients, the whole herbal
medicine maybe considered as
one active ingredient.
C. Health as Human right
The human right to health means
the everyone has the right to the
highest attainable standard of
physical and mental health which
includes access to all medical
services, sanitation, adequate
food, descent housing, healthy
working conditions, and a clean
environment. This right
guarantees a system of health
protection for all. Everyone has
the right in the health care they
need and to living conditions that
enable each one to be healthy.
Human Rights Standards :
Universal Access. Access to
health care must be universal,
guaranteed for all on an equitable
basis. Health care must be
affordable and comprehensive for
everyone, and physically
accessible where and when
needed.
Availability. Adequate health
care infrastructure like hospitals,
community health, facilities,
trained health care professionals;
goods like drugs and equipment;
and services like primary care and
mental health must be available in
all geographical areas and to all
communities.
Acceptability and Dignity.
Health are institutions and
providers must respect dignity,
provide culturaly appropriate care,
be responsive to needs based on
gender, age, culture, language,
and different ways of life and
abilities. They mjst repect medical
ethics and protect confidentiality.
Quality. All health care must be
medically appropriate and of good
quality, guided by quality
standards and control
mechanisms, and provided in a
timely, safe, and patientcentered
manner.
Non-discrimination. Health care
must be accessible and provided
without discrimination (in intent or
effect) based on health status,
race, ethnicity, age, sex, sexuality,
disability, language, religion,
national origin, income, or social
status.
Transparency. Health
information must be easily
accessible to everyone, enable
people to protect their health and
claim quality health services.
Participation. Individuals and
communities must be able to take
an active roles in decisions that
affect their health, including in the
organization and implantation of
health care services.
Accountability. Private
companies and public agencies
must be held accountable for
protecting the right to health care
through inforceable standards,
regulations, and dependent
compliance monitoring.
Healthcare is a human right
campaign in several U.S States,
inspired by the example of
Vennont, which in 2011 became
the first state to pass a law for a
universal, public financed health
care system.
Human rights principles :
Universality. Everyone must
have access to equal high-quality
and comprehensive health care.
Equity. Resources and services
must be distributed and access
maybe according to peoples
needs. We get what we need and
give what we can.

REFERENCE :
Understanding Culture,
Society, and Politics Book
2016 Edition