Each of us has some beliefs and assumptions about health and illness that are ours alone, and others that we share with members of our cultural group. When one person experiences stomach pains, he may take an antacid. Another might consult an urgent care nurse. Others may fix an herbal tea, visit a shaman, or take acupuncture treatment. Some will do nothing, even when the pain becomes intense, perhaps because their culture views the expression of pain as a sign of weakness. Our health behavior depends on the way we understand the cause of illness; what we think should be done about it; and whether.
