Illness and culture: learning differences.

A review is presented of several aspects of illness and culture. Stressing the importance of suffering in life, attention is paid to the influence of the image of the world on the relationship to the disease and the doctor. This is illustrated by a belief in fate. Further theoretical concepts from Kleinman, Helman, Schweder and Sontag are applied to medical situations. Cultural differences may be much more important for the treatment of patients than acknowledged until now.