Changing health behaviors: how to reach the patient-system by being “etic”
The evidence shows that different patterns of behavior are deeply rooted in the social and material aspects of people, as well as in their circumstances and cultural context (NICE, 2007, p. 6), economic, political (WHO, 2019).
Human beings are cultural beings, with an enormous capacity to survive adversity, who repeat behaviors often influenced by the behaviors of others (modeling) (Bandura, 1963, 1986). Social and economic contexts influence the degree of access, understanding and use of health services (Espanha, Ávila & Mendes, 2016).
In their experience, and among the behaviors that lead to various performances, the beliefs of individuals have an important role in their action for change. Beliefs are a potential of two ways, which act positively for change, when for example an individual believes that only Y food can improve health, or instead, beliefs serve as resistance and constraints preventing change, such as believing that only human faith cures the contamination of a virus, or that children’s urine is curative for some skin diseases (situations reported by several health professionals).
