Defining and Theorizing About Culture: The Evolution of the Cultural Determinants of Help-Seeking, Revised

Nursing Research
Denise Saint Arnault

Abstract

The recent interest in defining and theorizing about social determinants of health has illuminated the importance of culture as a central phenomenon of interest. However, cultural processes appear in multiple places in social determinants of health models, and their specifics are not delineated or operationalized. This theory development article describes the complexity of defining cultural variables and uses medical anthropology to show how cultural domains, constructs, and variables can be defined. Using cultural anthropology theory, empirical work, and a literature synthesis as a starting point, the evolution of the cultural determinants of help-seeking theory is explored and the revision of the theory is highlighted. The expanded theory include structural concepts as control variables, reframes illness as "suffering," and adds concepts of course, cure, manageability, meaning in life, functioning, social negativity, and perceived need. Strategies for and benefits of isolating and operationalizing cultural variables for middle-range theory development and testing are discussed.

References

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Mar 26, 2002·Western Journal of Nursing Research·Denise Saint Arnault
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Aug 9, 2006·Transcultural Psychiatry·Denise Saint ArnaultAiko Moriwaki
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Jan 9, 2007·Social Science & Medicine·Barbara Starfield
Jan 22, 2008·Archives of Psychiatric Nursing·Denise Saint Arnault, Oksoo Kim
Dec 17, 2009·Research and Theory for Nursing Practice·Denise Saint Arnault
Jun 1, 2007·Research in Human Development·David T TakeuchiMargarita Alegría
Sep 12, 2012·Lancet·Michael MarmotUNKNOWN Consortium for the European Review of Social Determinants of Health and the Health Divide
Nov 20, 2012·International Journal of Culture and Mental Health·Denise Saint Arnault, Deborah J Roles
Dec 1, 2012·Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care·Hee-Ju KimPatrick S Malone
May 8, 2013·Journal of Counseling Psychology·Joshua N HookShawn O Utsey
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Jun 19, 2014·Journal of Professional Nursing : Official Journal of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing·Mary Isaacson
Oct 1, 2011·Journal of Mixed Methods Research·Denise Saint Arnault, Michael D Fetters
Feb 21, 2016·Western Journal of Nursing Research·Denise Saint Arnault, Shizuka Shimabukuro

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Citations

Jul 30, 2019·International Journal of Nursing Studies·Onome Osokpo, Barbara Riegel
Oct 22, 2019·International Journal of Nursing Studies·Barbara RiegelTiny Jaarsma
Dec 4, 2019·International Journal of Nursing Studies·Maddalena De MariaClaudio Barbaranelli
Jun 3, 2021·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Minna Anneli SorsaTerese Elisabet Bondas
Aug 24, 2021·Global Qualitative Nursing Research·Denise Saint Arnault, Laura Sinko

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