Culture and Illness: Parents' Preceptions of Their Child's Long Term Illness

Résumé

The family is often the primary decision-maker in matters related to health and illness. Litman (1974) states that, "the family constitutes perhaps the most important social context within which illness occurs and is resolved" (p. 495). Spiralling health care costs have resulted in shorter hospital stays and a shift to home care services (Davis, 1980). Families are increasingly being called upon to take on the role of health teacher and caretaker. In those instances when a child has a long term health problem and is cared for in the home, parents must assume a major decision-making role in the child's treatment. Cultural meanings applied to sickness are therefore of considerable importance to health professionals and consumers (Kleinman, Eisenberg, & Good, 1978).