CULTURE

The accumulated learning for generational

groups of individuals within structured or
non-structured societies
The learned, shared and transmitted,
values, beliefs, norms and like way
practices of particular group that guide
thinking, decisions, and actions in
patterned ways.
Culture consists of the combined heritage
of language and communication style,
health beliefs and health practices,
customs and rituals and religious beliefs
and practices.
Influenced by environment, expectations
of society and national origin.
Includes values, beliefs, behavior, and
material objects that together form
Peoples way of life.

CHARACTERISTICS OF CULTURE
A way of life for a group of individuals
The
sum
of
socially
inherited
characteristics,
handed
down
from
generation to generation.
A groups design for living- socially
transmitted
assumptions
about
the
physical and social world.
Learned from birth- socialization (not
genetic)
Unique to each ethnic group
Shared by members of the same group
(identity)
Complex and all-encompassing
Often an unconscious process
An adaptation to various conditions
(environmental,
technical,
available
resources)
Dynamic (always changing)
CULTURAL CATEGORIES
Nonmaterial Culture
- Ideas created by members of a society
- Ideas that range from art to Zen
(beliefs, culture, languages and social
institutions)
Material Culture
- The Physical things created by
members of the society
- Dress, religious artifacts or eating
utensils
Culture Universal
- The commonalities of values, beliefs,
and patterns and life patterns that are
similar among different cultures
Culture Specifics

Those values, beliefs, and patterns of

behavior that tend to be unique to a
designated culture and does not tend
to share with members

TRANSCULTURAL DIVERSITY
AND HEALTH CARE
THE NEED FOR CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND
HEALTH CARE

The right of people to expect that the health

care system will respect their personal
beliefs, values and health practices.
The presence of diverse workforce that
represents in the health care system.

HEALTH CARE PERSONNEL WILL PROVIDE

CARE TO PEOPLE OF DIVERSE CULTURES

Needs culturally specific information

Needs communication skills to communicate
appropriately
Essential
ingredient
in
increasing
clients
satisfaction with health care and reducing
multifactorial reasons for gender, racial and
ethnic disparities.
WORLD DIVERSITY AND MIGRATION
The world population reached 6.5 billion
people in year 2005 and is expected to approach
7.6 billion by 2020.
Popular first language:
Mandarin Chinese- 13.59%
Spanish 5.05%
English 4.8%
Only 82% of the world population is literate.
More people now have a cellphone than a landline
(1.72 billion vs. 1.2 billion)
Slightly over 1 billion people are internet users
Migration:
Global Population of 9.2 million refugees
25 million internally displaced persons
Migrants represent 190 million people of
the world population
RACIAL AND ETHNIC DISPARITIES IN
HEALTH CARE
Disparities are observed in almost all aspects of
health care, including:
Effectiveness, patient safety, timeliness,
and patient centeredness
Facilitators are barriers to care and health
care utilization
Preventive care, treatment of acute
conditions, and management of chronic
disease
Clinical conditions such as cancer, diabetes,
end-stage renal disease, heart disease, HIV,
respiratory diseases.

Women, children elderly, rural residency, and

individuals with disabilities and other special
health-care needs.
Minorities, and the financially poor receive a
lower quality of care.

SELF-AWARENESS AND HEALTH

PROFESSIONALS
Culture has a powerful unconscious impact on
health professionals

Health care provider adds a new and unique

dimension to complexity to health care.
It is often reflected in the way to
communicate with clients

CULTURE
Cultural beliefs, values, and practices are learned from birth

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