Is Cultural Disparity the Cause of Kratom’s Misinformation?

Two people from different cultures may have different attitudes toward the same thing. This cultural disparity can affect how you view the cuisine, fashion, media, economic inequalities, and healthcare choices of cultures that are different from your own.

While cultural disparities may create interesting and sometimes embarrassing situations when it comes to etiquette, they can also lead to dangerous misunderstandings when it comes to medicine and healthcare. This article examines how specific cultural disparities may contribute to misinformation about kratom and its potential benefits.

Cultural Disparities That Foster Misinformation

Cultural disparity can result from a lot of different things. The following differences in culture between the USA and places where kratom is common may affect public perception of this ancient ethnobotanical supplement.

Access To Healthcare Services

There can be a major disparity in the way healthcare services are provided in some cultures when compared to the model used in the United States and other technologically developed countries. In some rural regions, healthcare services may be intermittent, prohibitively expensive, and difficult to reach. People who live in these regions may turn to traditional and folk medicine first when they have an ailment or complaint. They may be more trusting of what Western physicians call alternative medicine, and more familiar with kratom and other herbal options.

In North America and elsewhere, easy access to pharmaceutical products, over-the-counter drugs, and physician-based healthcare is the norm. Many patients are not familiar with plant medicines, and physicians may not mention all-natural herbal products as an option. Without meaningful contact with professionals who understand and prescribe herbal-based remedies, hearsay can replace facts.

Medicine In The Media

Popular media can make a big difference in attitudes toward any subject. Movies and television programs produced in the West may portray folk or alternative medicine as untrustworthy or even harmful, and people who rely on herbal cures may be portrayed as ignorant. Such portrayals are not uncommon, and while this type of messaging is slowly changing due primarily to the desire to sell more media to an overseas market, some damage has already been done. This type of messaging, even if it is fantasy-based, can have many ramifications when it comes to healthcare decisions. Misinformation about herbs and natural cures in general, absorbed over a lifetime of media consumption, can be a powerful contributor to distrust.

Connection To Nature

In cultures that promote a strong connection to nature, people are generally more trusting of herbs and may use a wide variety of plants daily for better health. This connection is missing in many cultures that are technologically developed. Healthcare professionals in more developed countries may not be encouraged to study natural cures and the use of herbs in medicine. They are more likely to spend their time studying treatments based on pharmaceutical products derived from synthetic processes. This disconnection with nature may help misinformation about herbal supplements like kratom to gain traction and displace factual information.

Economics & Social Class

Disparate economic opportunities exist in every culture, and income may affect the kind of healthcare you can afford. The use of herbs, folk cures, and traditional medicine is more common in communities that lack economic opportunities because herbal treatments are often more affordable than Western-style physicians, drugs, and therapies. This breeds a pernicious form of misinformation that characterizes affordable and readily available herbs like kratom as “something poor people do.” It may create the impression that spending more on healthcare automatically means better outcomes. This form of cost-based prejudice may support negative attitudes toward alternative medicine and herbal products, including kratom.
###h3Kratom grows in the wild in jungles in Southeast Asia and nearby, where it may be inexpensive, easy to acquire, and familiar. It is difficult for misinformation to take hold in this type of environment where many people use kratom daily. In areas like the US, where kratom is not a familiar product, and those who want to buy kratom online may have to hunt to find a trustworthy supplier, consumers may not know anyone who uses it.

Many consumers are naturally hesitant to try a product that no one they know uses, especially when it comes to imported ethnobotanicals. This can create an environment where misinformation drowns out facts.

Combat Kratom Misinformation With Education

There are numerous differences in culture between the United States and countries where kratom is accepted in social settings and therapeutic applications. Some of these differences provide an opening for misunderstanding. This may create an unfortunate hurdle for people who might benefit from adding kratom to their healthcare regimen.

The only way to combat misunderstanding about kratom is to educate the public with fact-based, verifiable information provided by reputable sources. By being open and honest about kratom benefits and precautions, users and vendors can help keep kratom legal and available to anyone who may benefit from using it.