Running head: HEALTH BELIEFS AND DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH

Health Beliefs and Determinants of Health

Valentina M Ramirez
Humber College
NURS103

HEALTH BELIEFS AND DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH

Health Beliefs and Determinants of Health

The health definition to which best fits my personal health beliefs is written by Pender. I
am able to use health behaviours such as protection, which will promote my well-being (Potter,
2014, p. 477). Two determinants of health factors that have affected my personal health and
health practices are education and literacy and income and social status. As a small child, I
struggled with my literacy in school. After high school, I was at crosswords with education and
work. During that time, I experienced elevated levels of stress, job insecurity, and a poor diet.
My beliefs are separated between two contrasting cultures, a Hungarian/European culture, and a
Colombian/Hispanic culture. Overtime, I have learned to cater to both sides of the family by
respecting their cultural beliefs and doing my best in keeping them separate from one another.
Being confronted with someones cultural beliefs that are dissimilar from my own will occur
during my nursing practice. I have several methods in place to accommodate and to show my
respect for their cultural beliefs.
Penders Definition of Health
I believe Penders definition of health best fits my personal health beliefs. In addition to
being without disease there are health practices that I include in my daily lifestyle that promotes
better living. I have friends who smoke, and I educate them each time about the negative effects
one cigarette has on their body and to the people close to them. I myself acknowledge smoking
as an unhealthy behaviour, and therefore, I choose to move away from them as they are
performing this behaviour (Potter, 2014, p. 296). I used to eat late, especially if I went to a late
movie, but eating too close to bed time made me feel ill in the middle of the night. The behaviour
I changed in this scenario was how late I ate before bed. I choose not to eat a few hours before
going to bed, and if I do feel hungry I will drink a small amount of water. Ever since modifying
my late night eating habits, I find it better to rest comfortably through the night.

HEALTH BELIEFS AND DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH

Education and literacy impacted my life choices. Unlike both my parents I was born in
Canada. I received all of my education in this country. In grade 4, I fell behind with my reading
and writing skills, but I received extra help at the Oxford for learning center so that I would be
eligible to proceed to grade 5. I would say that I struggled with my school work till the end of
high school. Most of my grades were average but sometimes fell below that. Since my grades
were low, it was hard to apply to a university that would accept them. So I took some time to
think about my next moves. To avoid the stress of my future I would spend time with friends. I
started hanging around people who were smoking and drinking. This affected my health in the
sense that I would be coming home late and stay asleep till the late afternoon. I was damaging
my health; my sleeping pattern was thrown off. Since I was going out at night I wasn't receiving
a sufficient amount of vitamin D. If I kept up this behaviour I would have possibly ran out of
money, and started depending on my parents income. In order to better my circumstances I
proceeded to further my education. I was able to get a job working in the hospital using my
literacy skills. I took a course that gave me the proper certification needed to apply for the
position. My grandmothers story is contrary to mine. She came to Canada from Hungary in her
adult years. She found work at a hospital, but in order to stay at her job they asked her to
complete the proper certification. Unfortunately, due to her poor English, she had not passed the
course and the hospital had to let her go. It is harder for an immigrant like my grandmother to
acquire the same level of education as someone like me; born and educated in Canada. In the
end, it didnt matter if she already knew how to do the job, it is now vital to have enough English
literacy skills. The hospital needed to make sure she was able to read certain hazard signs and
medication labels for safety in general. The European side of my family has always been a little
stricter when it comes to studying and getting an education. Having a steady income would have

HEALTH BELIEFS AND DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH

relieved the stress my grandmother felt when she first came to this country. I chose education
and literacy over other determinants of health because it shows how I was possibly on my way to
becoming another statistic relying on income support after putting a halt to my education.
Income and social status propelled me to the health care field. After I graduated high
school, I was stuck with the choice to continue my education or stay working at Mandarin for
minimum wage. I worked 12 hour shifts, and felt sleep deprived. During this time, my health was
not at its optimum. I would eat late most nights, I would have lower back pain from standing on
my feet all day, and I was too tired to do my Pilates exercise. Living under my grandparents roof
gave me the opportunity to save money and take a course that would later get me a job working
within the hospital. I currently work 8 hour shifts, receive double the amount of pay I used to
make at Mandarin, and I have time to spend with friends and family. I have been motivated ever
since getting the job at the hospital to further my education and move up the income ladder. I
have job security and an abundance of knowledge and skills pertaining to the line of work I'm in.
I am able to buy organic fruits and vegetables and still live comfortably. I chose income and
social status over other determinants of health because it shows how my diet, physical activity,
sleep patterns shifted from being negatively impacted by a job that required little to no skill
towards satisfaction of my health for working at a job that requires some knowledge and skill.
My cultural beliefs are influenced by my background. I am half European and half
Hispanic. Both cultures can be very contrasting and there are times when I confuse both cultures;
for instance, greeting the Hispanic side of the family with cheek to cheek kisses even though
they arent accustomed to that type of culture. The European side of my family likes to eat a lot
of starchy foods like potato, while the Hispanic side of my family like to eat a lot of fried foods
accompanied with mountains of rice. The Hispanic side of my family will get together at the
dinner table for most meals, while my European family will usually wonder off into their own

HEALTH BELIEFS AND DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH

rooms watching TV. As for the religion aspect of things, I am catholic because of my Hispanic
side of the family. I believe in God, while my European side of the family are free thinkers, they
dont believe in God, but they arent saying that there isnt a God; they just need proof to be able
to believe it. If Im sick with a sore throat my Hispanic family will give me all these home
remedies like drinking honey and tea while my European side of the family will make my
chicken noodle soup and offer medication till I feel better. My partners cultural background is
Scottish, Irish, and French. Just like the European side of my family in her culture they will eat
dinners on their own time with the exception of special celebrations such as birthdays and thanks
giving. Her family likes to consume a lot of dry foods, like cereal, and breads. They usually hug
or shake hands upon greetings. Her family does not belong to any religion; however, she does
believe there is a God. Unlike my Hispanic side of the family when her family gets sick, they
head straight to the cupboard for some Buckleys medicine.
My nursing practice may be influenced by another persons cultural or religious beliefs by
understanding what is accepted and what is not. I will watch their body language to see if they
come from a culture that doesnt mind giving a hand shake. If I notice their arms crossed then I
know they are uncomfortable with certain types of touches. Just like my Hispanic family, they
were unsure what to do when I gave them a kiss on each cheek; it was awkward for them. Living
in Canada we have such a diverse culture and not everyone eats the same foods. If I have a
patient who is not eating the hospital food, I will encourage them to bring their own food. I know
if there isnt rice on the plate for my Hispanic side of the family then its not a complete meal. I
can understand how being accustom to certain foods and then having it stripped away all at once
would be a difficult change for many patients. I would help transition them through this stage by
talking to them about the benefits of more nutritious foods. It is really hard to tell if someone
believes in God or not, unless you ask them. Some patients who come in would like their privacy

HEALTH BELIEFS AND DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH

so they can pray. I will not judge their religion or non-religion from mine. If they wanted a
moment to pray I would respect their space and give them that time. I know of some prayer
rooms located in some hospitals for the families to pray and I would inform them of that. As my
practice and experience grows I will be better equipped to accommodate any cultural detail a
patient requests or exhibits.
Proving the lengths that I go to breathe fresh air away from a group of people smoking
demonstrates my desire to be healthy (Potter, 2014, p. 477). Its just one of my health protecting
behaviours in Penders definition of health (Potter, 2014, p. 477). Receiving further education
after high school helped me gain confidence in my skills and knowledge. It drove me to pursue
greater success within the health care field. If I decided to discontinue my education I would
presently be stuck at a minimum wage job along with unhealthy habits. Being a part of two
separate cultures has been a challenge at times but its only the tip of the ice berg. There are
many more different types of cultures and beliefs that people have in Canada. I will be facing
different cultural challenges in my nursing practice but I will work through them to meet my
patients needs.

HEALTH BELIEFS AND DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH

References
Patricia A. Potter, A. G.-K. (2014). Canadian Fundamentals of Nursing, 5th edition. Toronto:
Mosby Elsevier.