Cultural Diversity
Health care providers work with a ____________group of people, so they must be aware of, and
respect, the unique factors of each individual. A major influence of a person’s uniqueness is their
____________________________________.
_____________: the values, beliefs, attitudes, languages, symbols, rituals, behaviors, and customs
unique to a particular group of people and passed from one generation to the next.
Not uniform for all people involved in a culture group, but allows a _____________________.
Four Characteristics of All culture
Culture is _____________________
Ex) Child imitating adults
Culture is _____________________
Beliefs and practices are shared within a culture group
Culture is _____________________
Appropriate behavior is learned by past traditions
Culture is dynamic and constantly __________________________
New ideas allow a culture group to adapt to _________________________________
Ethnicity: a classification of people based on ______________________________. Everyone within an
ethnic group may not practice all the same beliefs, but they are influenced by the _________________.
There are many ethnic groups across the _______________________________.
Six common ethnic groups in the United States:
_____________________________
Central and South Africa, Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Jamaica
_____________________________
Cambodia, Hawaii, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam
_____________________________
England, France, Italy, Poland, and Russia
_____________________________
Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Spain
_____________________________
Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Middle Eastern countries
_____________________________
Over 500 tribes from American Indians and Eskimos
_________: classification of people based on _______________________such as the color of skin, hair,
eyes; facial features; blood type; and bone structure. Race is used to label a group of people and explain
____________________________. Race cuts across multiple culture and ethnic groups; it is the ______,
_______, and ________ learned from the ethnic/cultural group that accounts for behaviors attributed to
race.
_____________________: differences among individuals based on cultural, ethnic, and racial favors.
Cultural assimilation: ____________ of a culturally distinct group into a dominant or prevailing culture
United States is known a “melting pot”, but strives to be more like a “salad bowl”.
___________________: the process of learning beliefs and behaviors of a dominant culture and
assuming some of the characteristics. 2nd and 3rd generation Americans are more likely to use English
as their main language and follow ____________________________. Sensitivity: the ability to recognize
and appreciate the personal ________________of others. Essential in health care!!!
Ex) Asians believe using a first name is unacceptable unless used by family or close friends.
____________, prejudice, and stereotyping can all interfere with acceptance of cultural diversity. Bias: a
preference that inhibits impartial judgment.
Ex) Person believing in the supremacy of their own ethnic group are called
__________________. People who are ethnocentric believe their culture is
________________________________. May antagonize or alienate people from other cultures. May
be biased with regard to other factors.
Seven common biases
____________________
Young people are superior to older people
____________________
College education people are superior than uneducated people
_____________________
Rich people are superior to poor people
____________________
Skinny and tall people are superior to obese and short people
_______________________
Doctors are superior to nurses
_________________________
Heterosexual people are superiors to homosexual people
_______________________
Men are superior to women
Prejudice and Stereotyping
__________________________ strong feeling or belief formed about a person or subject that is formed
without reviewing facts or information. Prejudice people view their ideas a right and others wrong; they
are _________________________. We are all prejudice to some degree, but it is important as health
care workers to _________of our prejudices and to _______________about a situation as possible to
allow us to learn about others, understand their beliefs, and ______________________________.
____________________: process of assuming that everyone in a particular group are the same
Ignored individuality; labels people.
Ex) All blondes are dumb
Ways to avoid bias, prejudice, and stereotyping
Be aware of own _________________________ and beliefs. Obtain ______________________
about other cultures and ethnic groups. Be sensitive to _____________________ of people from other
cultures. Don’t feel pressured to adopt others beliefs, but _________________________________. Be
____________________________ when building friendships. Ask questions and encourage others to
_________________. Evaluate information before forming an opinion. Be open to differences. Avoid
_____________________. Mistakes happen; _________________________ if you hurt another’s
feelings.
Holistic care: care that provides for the well-being of the ___________________and meets not only
physical needs, but also_________, ___________, and ____________ needs. Cultural diversity may
affect areas such as personal space, touching, eye contact, and family organization.
Family organization
___________________________: usually consists of a mother, father, and children. May consist of
single parents and child(ren). Basic unit for __________________________families. In nuclear families,
people outside the family frequently care for sick, children, or elderly relatives.
________________________________: Includes the nuclear family plus grandparents, aunts, uncles,
and cousins. Basic unit for _________________________________________________________
In extended families, the families tend to take care of the sick, children, or elderly relatives in their
home. Ex) Asian families see it as an honor to take care of their elder relatives.
Patriarchal: the ______________________ is the authority figure. Ex) Some Asian and Middle Eastern
men attend all medical appointments with their wives and handle all healthcare decisions.
Matriarchal: __________________________________ is the authority figure. Ex) Some women make
healthcare decisions for the entire family.
Recognition and acceptance of family organizations is _____________ for health care providers
Patients who have extended families as basic units may have many visitors in the hospital or long-term
care; all will be concerned with the care provided and will want to make ___________ regarding care.
Some may even try to provide personal care to the patient.
Questions to ask to determine a patient’s structure includes:
___________________________________________________________________
Who is the head of your household?
____________________________________________________________________
Do you have children? Who will care for them while you’re sick?
Health care workers frequently encounter patients who do not use English as their ________________.
Health care worker must determine a patient’s ability to communicate by talking with them and asking
questions such as:
Do you speak English as your primary language?
What language is spoken at home?
Do you read English? Do you read another language?
Do you have a family member or friend who can ___________________ information for you?
Find an _________________________ if needed. Another health care worker, consultant or
_____________________ may be able to assist. When providing people who have limited English,
_________________, use simple words, use gestures and pictures to clarify meaning, and give smiles or
gentle touches if culturally appropriate. Make every _______________________ at least a few words of
the patient's language, they appreciate this gesture. If working with a large number of patients who
speak a certain language, take an intro course or get an _____________ to learn the basics of their
language. Most states require that any medical permit ______________________ by the patient must
be printed in the patient’s native language, so the health care worker must be aware of
the______________________ within.
Personal space: ________________________ describes the distance people require to feel comfortable
while interacting with others. Each culture differentiates in how they feel comfortable when
_____________________, so it is important to understand the personal space requirements for each
culture when working in health care. Health care providers use touch and invade personal space to give
many _________________. Use a slow, relaxed approach, explain the procedures, and encourage the
patient to relax. Be alert for a patient’s _____________________________ communication.
Eye contact is affected by different cultural beliefs. Ex) _______________________ think eye contact is
a sign of interest, while some ___________________ may consider eye contact to be rude. Health care
providers must be alert to the comfort levels of patients while using direct eye contact and recognize
the cultural diversity that exists. Lack of eye contact typically means ________________ when it can
actually mean respect.
Gestures are used to communicate many things; In the United States, a common gesture for saying
“yes” is nodding the head up and down and for “no” is nodding the head side to side; In India, the head
motions are the ____________________________. Pointing the finger is also a common gesture in the
United States, but can signify a “strong threat” to ________________ and ______________________.
Most common health care system in the United States is the biomedical health care system, or
_____________________ system. This system bases the _______________________ on things such as
microorganisms and fungus. When the cause is determined, health care focuses on eliminating the
disease. Health care beliefs vary greatly among, and within, different cultures.
___________________ methods. Ex. Organic foods, herbs, vitamins, and antioxidants
___________________ methods. Ex. Relaxation, medication, and imagery
___________________ therapy. Ex. Massage, acupuncture, and acupressure
___________________ methods. Ex. Chiropractic, yoga, and tai chi
___________________ methods. Ex. Faith healing, prayer, and spiritual counseling
** It is important to remember that every patient has the right to choose the type of health care system
fits them best.
______________________: the beliefs individuals have about themselves, their connections with each
other, and their relationship with a higher power; an individuals need to find meaning and purpose in
life. Often expressed through religious practices.
______________________: an organized system of belief in a superhuman power or higher power
Associated with a specific form or place of worship.
Be a ___________________________. Provide support for spiritual and religious
_____________________. Respect religious symbols and _______________________________
Allow privacy for patient during clergy time or during observation of religious customs.
Refrain from _______________________ your beliefs on the patient.
The key to respecting cultural diversity is to regard each person as a ____________________. Every
individual has a pattern based off of culture, ethnicity, race, life experiences, spirituality, and religion.
Health care workers must be aware of the needs of an individual to ___________________.
Health care workers must learn to appreciate and respect the personal characteristics of others by:
Listening to patients express their beliefs.
________________________________________________________________________________
Be sensitive to the response of a patient to contact, touch, and invasion of private space.
________________________________________________________________________________