Different cultures have different understandings of disease and medicine, which can often affect a patients’ treatment process. Oftentimes, patients will be skeptical of traditional Western medicine, or create narratives about the origin of their disease that are completely independent of medicinal logic. Yannette Tactuk, a Clinical Oncology Social Worker at the Dubin Breast Center in New York City, explains here how a patient’s cultural heritage plays a role in their breast cancer treatment.

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Tactuk recalls certain instances in which patients have blamed their cancer on a childhood fall or bee sting. Watch the interview with Sonima founder Sonia Jones above to learn more about this issue, and the support groups that come together to talk through these deep-seated cultural issues.

 

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