Cultural Definitions

Cultural group: people with common origins, customs and styles of living..[a] shared history and experiences [which] shape the values, goals perceptions and expectations.

Racial or ethnic group: people with a common genetic background identified by similar skin and facial features.

Ethnocentrism: the tendency to identify one’s own cultural group as the "norm" against which other groups are judged.

Acculturation: the process of taking on the values and beliefs of the dominant culture.

Culturally sensitive health care is a phrase used to describe a health care system that is accessible and respects the beliefs, attitudes, and cultural lifestyles of professionals and of patients. Health care professionals should have cultural competency—that is, sufficient knowledge about other cultures—especially the cultures represented in their practice population.

Cultural competency requires:TEAMS00000004.gif

  1. Having a sufficient body of knowledge about other cultures.

  2. Understanding an individual’s interpretation of his or her experience within the context of personal cultural beliefs.

  3. Recognizing the degree of acculturation of the individual.

  4. Recognizing how one’s own cultural values influence one’s attitudes and behavior toward others. A health provider’s perspective consists of both the culture of his or her upbringing and the culture of his or her professionalization in the Western health care paradigm.

  5. Realizing that no cultural group is homogenous and that there is great diversity among members of each cultural group.