cross-cultural competence and effective communication

Running Head : HEALTH-CARE AND CULTURE

Health Care and Culture

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Introduction

Culture is an important ingredient in the mode of life of any group , be they ethnic or modern sub-cultures . In addition , culture is a very pervasive matter and that is why it also has an important impact in health care delivery . Moreover , there are some societies that are sensitive when it comes to their culture . This is the reason is why , it is necessary to tread around carefully so as not to

give offense to the culture . Otherwise health care delivery will not only be seen as negative , the persons delivering the health care will also be considered as outsiders in the culture and thus , will make it harder for them to penetrate into the community . But what is culture ? According to Hoult (1969 , culture refers broadly to the values , norms , institutions and artifacts that a particular society holds dear . This also includes the language , the manner of communications and the nature of social relationships in any given society

Because of the surge of immigration into the United States coupled with the trend of globalization , it has become important for people from various races and culture to coexist with each other . According to Larsen (2004 , pp . 1-2 , in 2003 , 33 .5 million people in the United States were foreign born . This accounts for more than ten percent of the people , especially those that are engaged in the delivery of important services such as health care

Cultural Competence and Effective Communication

The US Department of Health and Human Services (2003 ) identified the concept of cultural competence in dealing with the culture of people who are in need of important services , especially in disaster mental health programs . Cultural competence refers to the changes in the perceptions attitudes and even the basic treatment of people in connection to various cultural groups . It is exemplified by sensitivity and awareness of differences yet granting respect to different groups . Furthermore the Department 's publication highlighted the importance of the community in the lives of ethnic and cultural groups and this is the reason why in the occurrence of disasters , it is important to get through to the community and help them recover together . An awareness and sensitivity of culture is needed in this regard . Hence , effective communication cannot be discounted as an important factor in getting through to the members of the community (US DHHS , 2003 . Effective communication would then mean taking into account the various cultural expressions of such groups and be sensitive to these expressions

Another important reason why communication is essential is that people from cultural groups tend to bring with them their own ideas about diseases , which may not be accurate scientifically . It falls upon the health care practitioner to communicate with these people the proper way of treating diseases with proper understanding and sensitivity ( Why Language and Culture , 2003

Cultural Group and Health Service Needs

The Hispanic Americans comprise the largest nonwhite ethnic group in...