Transcultural diversity and transcultural health care strongly interact with each other in the multicultural environment.
Transcultural diversity and transcultural health care strongly interact with each other in the multicultural environment.
Transcultural Diversity and Health Care
- The term “transcultural diversity” refers to the presence of diverse sub-cultures that exist within one larger culture and to the value of cultural differences. Transcultural diversity is opposite to monoculture or to the value of the dominant culture without the consideration of minor cultures and subcultures. In turn, the term “transcultural health care” means the connection between healthcare and beliefs and values of different cultural groups. Transcultural nurses know health beliefs, behavior, and values of various cultures and sub-cultures and plan and provide culturally appropriate care.
Transcultural diversity and transcultural health care strongly interact with each other in the multicultural environment. Representatives of different cultures go to the healthcare facilities to receive help and approaches suitable for the representatives of the Western cultures may be unsuitable or even offensive for the representatives of other cultures. Transcultural nurses know similarities and differences in the healthcare attitudes between different cultures and can predict the care needs of people on the basis of their cultural heritage (Prosen, 2015). For example, Arabian and Muslim patients refuse to take drugs that contain stearic acid retrieved from animals due to the teachings of Islam; therefore, the nurse should explain the necessity of drug and the impossibility of its replacement (Rassool, 2015). At the same time, Chinese patients prefer to escape surgeries, as they believe their bodies should remain intact so their souls could find the place after the further returning to Earth.
Therefore, if the nurse understands cultural differences in healthcare and can apply them to the planning and provision of care, the nurse can successfully treat representatives with various cultural heritages. The delivery of the highest quality of care is the major goal of a nurse, and cultural competence becomes an especially important aspect in the modern global cultural environment.
- The first variant characteristic of culture is the race. The race is a genetic characteristic of culture that includes physical characteristics shared by the group members, such as skin color, blood type, eye color, and hair. Race cannot be changed, but people could undergo plastic surgeries to change their appearance to fit into society and to increase their social opportunities.
The second variant characteristic is religious affiliation. Religion is a set of dogmas, beliefs, practices, and worldviews that establish the relationship between people and divine power. On the contrary with race, religion can be changed in accordance with the personal choice of people. However, the change of religion may lead to the shift of culture and to the occurrence of controversies between a person and his or her family.
Next, the third variant characteristic of culture is age. Age is the time of existence from the beginning to the particular life period. Age cannot be changed, and each stage of age is usually related to specific power and capacity and to the changes in worldview. Different cultures treat age differently; for instance, in Western cultures, elders are usually excluded from the community, while in India, elders are the head of the family, and in Korea, elders are highly respected not only in the family but also in the society.
Finally, the fourth variant characteristic of culture is education. Education is the acquisition of new knowledge, particular beliefs, and new skills. Educational status can be changed, and people with different educational levels develop different worldviews, broaden their perspectives, and get new opportunities for decision-making.
Transcultural Diversity, Health Care, and Variant Characteristics of Culture
Transcultural diversity is defined by similarities and differences between the specific culture of human groups. It states that every patient has his cultural beliefs, perception, and preferences. Patient’s attitude and behavior are associated by his cultural background. Transcultural diversity states that the health facilitator should develop the ability of interact with patients of all types of culture backgrounds (Clark & Robinson).
Health care is based on the development and conservation of the patient’s health status (“Health Care”). Health care professionals are dedicated to preventing, diagnose, early treat, or alleviate the disease. Health professionals should be trained and be able to treat all patients, regarding their cultural background, and cultural believes. Health care is the maintenance or restoration of the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of the patients (“What is health care? definition and meaning”).
Nowadays in our country we have a multicultural population, this is an important consideration to have in mind if we are going to speak about health care. All health care professionals should be prepared and trained to deliver a good care, regarding the believes of the patient. Skills to deliver an adequate cultural competence should be part of the train of every nurse, doctor, or any health care provider. To perform a cultural assessment is an efficient tool to recognize the patient’s culture, and it will help the facilitator to perform and to make an excellent work (Clark & Robinson).
Keeping always an adequate distance and space will ensure the comfortability of the patient: if we sit close to a patient, him/her can perceive it as warmth and caring; but other patient can perceive it as an invasion of his/her personal space.
To maintain eye contact while treating, speaking, or teaching a patient depends of the cultural background of the patient. While for a group of patients to avoid eye contact represent lack of interest or indifference, for others is a sign of respect.
Touching is an important consideration while caring for patients. In some culture specific body parts cannot be examined by nurses of doctors of the opposite gender. Before touching the head in the case of Asian population, care givers should explain what are doing and why. Same case of the Islamic and Jewish women, they should be allowed to keep privacy and keep her legs, arms, and head covered during the examination.
Diet is another consideration of the characteristics of each culture to have in mind. Each culture has its own allowed or disallowed foods; when, how, and where to eat it. Nurses and doctors should be aware of selected cultures avoid certain types of food and medications derived from some animals, as is the case of the pork derived insulin. In selected holidays other group if people eat high quantity of calories and fats, increasing the risk of some health incidents.
Biological variations in some types of cultures should be considered when giving care of patients of a specific culture. Metabolism and absorption of certain medications differs to patients from different cultures. Adherence to treatment plans and use of herbal supplements differ for one culture to another (“Understanding Transcultural Nursing: Nursing 2019”).
References
Clark, C., & Robinson, T. M. (n.d.). Cultural diversity and transcultural nursing as they impact health care. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1073259
Health Care. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/health care
Understanding Transcultural Nursing: Nursing 2019. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://journals.lww.com/nursing/Fulltext/2005/01001/Understanding_Transcultural_Nursing.2.aspx
What is health care? definition and meaning. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/health-care.html
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