One factor common to folklore is superstition. Superstitions provide a safeguard in the areas of people's lives where they most lack control, and folk beliefs can often be found where they are concerned. Not surprisingly then, a major area where folk beliefs flourish is the area of health and the human body. Many people instinctively turn to traditional cures during a medical crisis, even if modern practitioners have been consulted. No matter how sophisticated we become, many people believe, however minutely, in medicinal folk remedies that often incorporate large amounts of faith and superstition As it is a person's cultural background that shapes his belief structure', there is no denying the relationship between culture and social factors and folk medicine.
Religious beliefs play a large part in medical treatments, as do social customs.
Modern doctors recognize the importance of these beliefs, as it is the perceptions and expectations about health and illnesses that often determine the outcome of treatment. Completely separating these schools of thought is too simplistic, they say, since many people use various sources of care during a single illness. This leads to another important factor in folk medicine, which is the concept of the healing power of faith. To many, this subject is indeed controversial, but again, it goes back to the relationship between perceptions and healing. The psychological benefits can be great however, as faith in a remedy can be a self-fulfilling prophecy.