<P> Asian countries have wide variations of population, wealth, technology and health care, causing attitudes towards health and illness to differ . Japan, for example, has the third highest life expectancy (82 years old), while Afghanistan has the 11th worst (44 years old). Key issues in Asian health include childbirth and maternal health, HIV and AIDS, mental health, and aging and the elderly . These problems are influenced by the sociological factors of religion or belief systems, attempts to reconcile traditional medicinal practices with modern professionalism, and the economic status of the inhabitants of Asia . </P> <P> Like the rest of the world, Asia is threatened by a possible pandemic of HIV and AIDS . Vietnam is a good example of how society is shaping Asian HIV / AIDS awareness and attitudes towards this disease . Vietnam is a country with feudal, traditional roots, which, due to invasion, wars, technology and travel is becoming increasingly globalized . Globalization has altered traditional viewpoints and values . It is also responsible for the spread of HIV and AIDS in Vietnam . Even early globalization has added to this problem--Chinese influence made Vietnam a Confucian society, in which women are of less importance than men . Men in their superiority have no need to be sexually responsible, and women, generally not well educated, are often unaware of the risk, perpetuating the spread of HIV and AIDS as well as other STIs . </P> <P> Confucianism has had a strong influence on the belief system in Asia for centuries, particularly in China, Japan, and Korea, and its influence can be seen in the way people chose to seek, or not seek, medical care . An important issue in Asia is societal effect on the ability of disabled individuals to adjust to a disability . Cultural beliefs shape attitudes towards physical and mental disabilities . China exemplifies this problem . According to Chinese Confucian tradition (which is also applicable in other countries where Confucianism has been spread), people should always pursue good health in their lives, with an emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention . To the Chinese, having a disability signifies that one has not led a proper lifestyle and therefore there is a lack of opportunities for disabled individuals to explore better ways to accept or adapt to their disability . </P> <P> Indigenous healing practices are extremely diverse throughout Asia but often follow certain patterns and are still prevalent today . Many traditional healing practices include shamanism and herbal medicines, and may have been passed down orally in small groups or even institutionalized and professionalized . In many developing countries the only health care available until a few decades ago were those based on traditional medicine and spiritual healing . Now governments must be careful to create health policies that strike a balance between modernity and tradition . Organizations, like the World Health Organization, try to create policies that respect tradition without trying to replace it with modern science, instead regulating it to ensure safety but keeping it accessible . India in particular tries to make traditional medicines safe but still available to as many people as possible, adapting tradition to match modernization while still considering the economic positions and culture of its citizens . </P>

What types of illnesses are less likely to be associated with a sick role