Cultural Differences In Health And Social Care

an American Indian male with diabetes who receives care at a non-tribal clinic. He reports that he does not feel much of a connection with his provider or his clinic, and says that he feels misunderstood when he tells his provider about his traditional healing practices.  He struggles to remember to take his medications and sometimes does not take them because he feels that they don’t work.

The text list several factors that contribute to healthcare disparities, social, economic status, access to medical care, lack of insurance, unemployment, lack of knowledge of healthcare processes and procedures within society, transportation issues and many other factors that contribute to healthcare disparities. Being knowledgeable of cultural competency has several advantages, cultural competence provides relief to the patient when the patient feels comfortable with their physician a bond is developed and patients are less likely to file malpractice claims. Displaying cultural competency increases the quality of services and patient satisfaction.

Health care disparities in the United States occur on the provider level. The implicit biases providers are susceptible to help shape physician behavior and produce differences in medical treatment across a host of demographic characteristics but mainly along the lines of race and ethnicity. This paper focuses mainly on the relationship between providers and Black Americans. There is a complex and historical relationship between providers and Black Americans which dates back to the 16th century that is the basis for the biases physicians exhibit towards this particular minority group in today’s healthcare system. Contrary to popular belief, the Tuskegee Syphilis Study in 1932 is not the forerunner to a host of medical abuses committed against

After watching the Cultural Competence in Health care video, I learned that there are many different people I will deal with in my career as an advocate for health. One quote I really liked from the video stated, “My diversity is my strength, not my weakness”. I believe this is true because having so many different people of different cultural backgrounds opens up the opportunity for different points of view to develop new ideas. This reminds me of the activity we did in class on our first day. We were asked to simply write down what our thoughts were. What we realized upon getting our sheets back is that when you work with others, they may have an idea you had not thought about. Overall, I think this video is a good representation of the

Stage 4 focuses on the rationale for providing culturally competent health care to refugee's. Cultural competence relates to a set of behaviours or attitudes that enable the health care system to provide a high quality of equitable care to all groups within society (Germov, 2014). Based on the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) a refugee is defined as someone who

Providing medical care to patients with limited or no knowledge of the English language can be very challenging. Miscommunication, different believes and issues can interfere with a good relationship between the health care giver, the patient and very often the patient´s family. I chose to include the patient´s family because the majority of the Latino population gives a big value to the family which is always present when there is a need to take an important decision such as health treatments.

I hope that with my personal beliefs and culture that I will be able to give exceptional care to those whose cultures differ from my own. I am very much a people pleaser and I would try my best to keep everyone happy and comfortable. I think that this comes from my culture of being a millennial. While I am not necessarily knowledgeable about other culture’s practices, rituals, and beliefs, I would try my best to make sure that my patients were taken care of in a manner that protects their health and respects their culture, religion, or race.

Encountering a fast growing aging nation, the U.S. government strives to create the cultural competence of medical care providers for this to lower health inequalities. The overall rising number of the older adult population exemplifies a cultural icon within itself. The proportion of older adults from ethnic and racial minority groups is projected to increase exponentially by 2050, with the largest growth rates being among Hispanics, followed by Asian-Pacific Islanders, American Indians, and African Americans. During the year of 2006, the U.S. Census Bureau stated that 19 percent of the U.S. population that is aged 65 years and older would be considered as a minority. In 2050, 39 percent of the countries older adults will be denoted by minority groups. For these predictions, organizations should incorporate community outreach. This will help in studying the population and learning who are the most efficient resource individuals within the ethnic groups. Also, they can predict the need and demand for alliances or affiliations so that when families get there, the health care organizations can be more organized and be prepared to give pertinent services and resources. Organizations can reach out to religious groups to help engage workers, trainers, or religious leaders who has a better understanding of the individual’s cultural back and they can also help in educating employees in the distinctions of working with them to display respect (Lehman, D., Fenza, P., &

According to the results of a survey conducted, by 2050 the population of the United States will predominantly (more than fifty percent) consist of the non-whites. With this fact in mind, it would be highly advisable to meet the anticipated changes. in order to ensure a fully competent and ethnic-minded workforce. Different ethnic backgrounds come with their particular cultural specifications, which call for a person with an in-depth knowledge of these specifications in order to accord satisfactory attendance to the patients and clients (Mason, 2012). Furthermore, many patients and customers feel more at ease with someone they can relate to, be it ethnically, in terms of gender, background or even religion. It remains an unquestionable fact

Cultural competency is important when caring for patients whose culture is different than yours. A person’s background, upbringing, and set of beliefs shape the way they interact with healthcare personnel, guide the way they ask for and receive help, and play a role in their understanding and approach to their health. It is important to understand where the patient is coming from so that they can get the most out of their health care experience and ultimately have “improved health outcomes” (Brannon 2009, p. 4). This concept is especially important nowadays not only because the demographics of the United States is continually changing, but also due to the fact that these diverse groups tend to “maintain their cultural uniqueness” as opposed

Culturally competent involves the attitudes, knowledge, and skills necessary for the providing quality care to diverse populations. I myself am not fully aware of the cultural competence of each ethnicity group, it is a complex area to learn about and it takes time to learn since it is constantly changing. The parts about cultural competency I am aware about is that I have some basic knowledge about diverse cultures, how I must apply the knowledge to make sure my patient is provided the best care, and that I must attend to the total context of the individual’s situation. The culturally diverse client for who I want to provide culturally congruent care to in the healthcare setting would be the Asian American, who make up the third largest ethnic group in the United States. I would expand my knowledge of the Asian culture by firstly understanding and knowing the basic information, about the original culture and traditional values.

I enjoyed reading your insights on some of the cultural aspects that influence the healthcare perceptions of the Hispanic population. I also chose this ethnic group for my discussion so it was interesting to see the information that you found. For Ohio nurses, I think it’s essential to learn about these influences because statistics show that the Hispanic population is growing in every county except for one. Immigration is playing a part but the main increase is coming from the birth rate of children of first-generation immigrants. They are becoming adults and are having their own children, which is boosting the overall population.

The failure to understand cultural differences is the root cause of health disparities in America. Our history of racial and economic injustice has left people marginalized, disadvantaged, and disproportionately impoverished. As the only industrialized country without universal healthcare, we are spending twice as much on healthcare as other countries. Importance of the public coming to terms with inequalities leads to demanding change for every citizen to be healthy in order to live their best life.

There are many disparities in healthcare access, especially when it comes to clients living at or below the poverty level. Mauer and Smith (2013) suggested that community/public health nurses should know the concerns of the clients regarding accessibility or convenience, availability, and acceptability of healthcare services. Many factors such as economic status, educational levels, and employment steer health seeking behaviors and influence how the community/public health nurse can help.

Diversity is a wide range of interests, backgrounds, and experiences that can be measured across many variables including; age, race, sex, economics, religion, personal background, geography, etc. Each individual have unique characteristics which set them apart from another person. Nursing brings about opportunities to share, learn, and grow from the experiences of others. Therefore, it is important to explore and be aware of the various social, cultural, and religious differences amongst patients in our communities.