History underpinning of the theory

• During the a child guidance home1950s, while

working in, Leininger experienced what she
describes as a cultural shock when she realized
that recurrent behavioral patterns in children
appeared to have a cultural basis.
• Leininger identified a lack of cultural and care
knowledge as the missing link to nursing’s
understanding of the many variations required in
patient care to support compliance, healing, and
wellness (George, 2002).
 Leininger’s works on Cultural Care Diversity
Late 1950 s Conceptualized transcultural nursing a distinct
(during her area of nursing practice
doctoral work )

Through out • Developed a transcultural nursing conceptual

1960s framework

Mid-1970s, • Presented a “transcultural health model”

In 1984 • Sunrise Model was described

• Depicts the transcultural dimensions of
culturologic interviews, as- asessments, and
therapies
 Transcultural nursing
• In 1995, Leininger defined transcultural nursing as:
“a substantive area of study and practice focused on
comparative cultural care (caring) values, beliefs,
and practices of individuals or groups of similar or
different cultures with the goal of providing culture-
specific and universal nursing care practices in
promoting health or well-being or to help people to
face unfavorable human conditions, illness, or death
in culturally meaningful ways” (p. 58).
 Leininger’s Theory (cont’d)
 Note that the model looks like a Sunrise and the
Worldview encompasses everything that makes
people who they are.

 The 7 Cultural and Social Structure

Dimensions are the large areas that nurses need
to learn about through interview and living among
the people of different cultures.

 Below the Individuals, Families, Groups,

Communities, & Institutions are the Diverse
Health Systems that all persons deal with in
various ways.
 Leininger’s Theory (cont’d)
 Generic or Folk Systems are the
everyday remedies an individual, family
or group may use to promote wellness
and healing. Some examples might
include:

 Chicken Soup
 Chamomile Tea or other Herbal teas
 Voodoo
 Sacrifices of birds or animals
to the spirits
 Prayer
 Curandero

Nurses need to assess in all these

areas to plan safe, effective care.
 Leininger’s Theory (cont’d)
Professional Systems are different depending
upon the Health Care Delivery System of that
culture. Whether there is socialized medicine,
private insurance, communal healthcare, poor
economic support vs. great wealth, all contribute to
the influence of the utilization of Professionals to
prevent illness, heal illness, and promote health and
wellness.
Nursing must collaborate within the healthcare
delivery system to plan and implement safe,
effective, culturally competent care.
 Context for Use and Nursing Implications

• Her theory is still to be used, to be tested, to

be refined, to be changed, and to be directed
in clinical activities by other modelists, such
as: (Ryan et al., 2000; Campinha-Bacote et al.,
2000; Boyle, 2000; Purnell, 2002; Giger and
Davidhizars, 2002a; Leuning et al., 2002;
Juntunen, 2004).
Evidence of Empirical Testing and Application in
Practice

• The Role of Culture and Social Structures on

Bengali Adults with Type 2 Diabetes in
Managing Their Health Condition