Hwa-byung : Recommendations for Culturally Sensitive Diagnosis and Care

Abstract

Hwa-byung refers to a suppressed anger syndrome that is specific to Korean culture and is found predominantly in middle-aged and older women. Because hwa-byung involves a complex mechanism of long-standing subjective anger that forms differently in Western cultures, an understanding of cultural dynamics and etiology is warranted for health care providers to diagnose and treat this condition accurately. The cultural formulation interview developed by the American Psychiatric Association is an excellent tool to discover and discuss this culturally sensitive health condition. This study examines hwa-byung’s disease etiology, characteristics, assessment, differential diagnosis, treatment options, and prognosis.