Integration of cultural system

and beliefs
ELEC 301
Term, 2, 2023-2024
 Introduction

• Patient's beliefs, behaviors, and values are shaped by factors such as

ethnicity, gender, language, nationality, occupation, race, religion, and
socioeconomic status.
• Cultural competence means that health care provider able to understand
and integrate cultural intelligence into the delivery of healthcare.
• The goal of providing culturally competent health care services is to
provide consistent quality of care to every patient, regardless of their
cultural, ethnic, racial, or religious background.
 Culturally competent care
• Cultural competence is the ability of health providers and organizations to deliver health
care services that meet the cultural, social, and religious needs of patients and their
families.
• The diversity of culture around the world creates challenges for health care providers and
systems to provide culturally competent medical care.
• Culturally competent care can improve patient quality and care outcomes.
• Strategies to move health professionals and systems towards these goals include:
• Providing cultural competence training
• Developing policies and procedures that decrease barriers to providing culturally competent patient care
 How does cultural beliefs affect health care?
Cultural health beliefs affect:
• How people think and feel about their health and health problems
• When and from whom they seek health care
• How they respond to recommendations for lifestyle change, health-care
interventions, and treatment adherence
• Person's willingness to adhere to the doctor's recommendations
• Individual preferences and needs of each patient.
• They also help improve health outcomes
• Decrease health disparities
 Religious beliefs

• Religion, belief and culture should be recognized as potential sources of moral purpose and
personal strength in healthcare
• They enhance the welfare of both clinicians and patients among the experience of ill-health,
healing, suffering and dying.
• Patients often turn to their religious and spiritual beliefs when making medical decisions.
• Religion and spirituality can impact decisions regarding diet, medicines based on animal products,
and the preferred gender of their health providers
• They help patient to decline needed medical care, refuse life-saving procedures, and stop
necessary medication, choosing faith instead of medicine.
• Health Practitioners need to learn to respect the decisions that patients make based on their
religious beliefs and not become offended or feel rejected
 Culture plan

• Begins with a cultural assessment that forms the care plan's foundation.
• Culturally competent care adapts care to the patient's cultural needs and
preferences
• Nurses who assess their patients' cultural beliefs, values, and practices are better
able to individualize care and achieve positive outcomes
Cultural assessment
• Cultural assessment include asking the patient about ethnic background, religious
preference, family patterns, food preferences, eating patterns, and health practices.
 Cultural barriers in healthcare

• Gender,
• Education, Language barriers
• Health literacy
• Misconceptions
• Unfamiliarity with the concept of palliative care/hospice settings.
• Distrust of health care services/clinicians.
• Personal experiences/past trauma.
• Religious differences
 Diversity in Healthcare

• Diversity in any workplace means having a workforce comprised of

multiple races, ages, genders, ethnicities, and orientations.

• When the medical and administrative staff of a healthcare facility

represents a wide range of experiences and background.
 How to improve cultural competence

Strategies for improving cultural competence:

• Encouraging family to participate in healthcare decision making.
• Incorporating culture-specific values into health promotion
• Providing cultural awareness training
• Providing an environment that allows traditional doctors
• Providing interpreter (translators) services
• Recruit and retain minority staff.
• Provide training to increase cultural awareness, knowledge, and skills.
 Questions
• Thanks