Culture And Ethnicity PDF

CULTURE AND ETHNICITY Culture (values, beliefs, and practices of a particular group) incorporates the attitudes and customs learned through socialization with others. It includes, but is not limited to, language, communication style, traditions, religion, art, music, dress, health beliefs, and healt...

CULTURE AND ETHNICITY Culture (values, beliefs, and practices of a particular group) incorporates the attitudes and customs learned through socialization with others. It includes, but is not limited to, language, communication style, traditions, religion, art, music, dress, health beliefs, and health practices. EXAMPLE: …….. A group’s culture is passed from one generation to the next. Culture is (1) learned from birth; (2) shared by members of a group; (3) influenced by environment, technology, and availability of resources; and (4) dynamic and ever changing. RACE: Cultural groups tend to share biologic and physiologic similarities. Race (biologic variations) is a term used to categorize people with genetically shared physical characteristics. Some examples include skin color, eye shape, and hair texture. MINORITY: The term minority is used when referring to those collective people who differ from the dominant group in terms of cultural characteristics such as language, physical characteristics like skin color, or both. Minority does not necessarily imply that there are fewer group members in comparison with others in the society. Rather, it refers to the group’s status in regard to power and control. Slightly more women than men are in the United States, yet women are considered a minority. ETHNICITY: Ethnicity (bond or kinship a person feels with his or her country of birth or place of ancestral origin) may exist regardless of whether or not a person has ever lived outside a certain country. Pride in one’s ethnicity is demonstrated by valuing certain physical characteristics, giving children ethnic names, wearing unique items of clothing, appreciating folk music and dance, and eating native dishes. When two or more cultural groups mix, however, as often happens at the borders of various countries or through the process of immigration, unique differences become more obvious. One or both groups may experience cultural shock (bewilderment over behavior that is culturally atypical).  TRANSCULTURAL NURSING Madeline Leininger defined the term transcultural nursing (providing nursing care within the context of another’s culture) in the 1970s. Aspects of transcultural nursing include the following: Assessments of a cultural nature Acceptance of each client as an individual Knowledge of health problems that affect particular cultural groups Planning of care within the client’s health belief system to achieve the best health outcomes To provide culturally sensitive care, nurses must become skilled at managing language differences, understanding biologic and physiologic variations, promoting health teaching that will reduce prevalent diseases, and respecting alternative health beliefs or practices. Cultural Asseaament To provide culturally sensitive care, the nurse strives to gather data about the unique characteristics of clients. Pertinent data include the following: Language and communication style Hygiene practices including feelings about modesty and accepting help from others Special clothing Religion and religious practices Rituals surrounding birth, passage from adolescence to adulthood, illness, and death Family and gender roles including child-rearing practices and kinship with older adults Proper forms of greeting and showing respect Food habits and dietary restrictions Methods for making decisions Health beliefs and medical practices Assessment of these areas is likely to reveal many differences. Examples of variations include language and communication, eye contact, space and distance, touch, emotional expressions, dietary customs and restrictions, time, and beliefs about the cause of illness. ………. Beliefs Concerning Illness Generally, people embrace one of three cultural views to explain illness or disease. The biomedical or scientific perspective is shared by those from developed countries who base their beliefs about health and disease on research findings. An example of a scientific perspective is that microorganisms cause infectious diseases, and frequent handwashing reduces the potential for infection. The naturalistic or holistic perspective espouses that humans and nature must be in balance or harmony to remain healthy; illness is an outcome of disharmony. Finally, there is the magico-religious perspective in which there is a cultural belief that supernatural forces contribute to disease or health. Some examples of the magicoreligious perspective include cultural groups that accept faith healing or practice forms of witchcraft. Although nurses may disagree with a client’s belief’s concerning the cause of health or illness…….. EXAMPLES OF RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND PRACTICES THAT AFFECT HEALTH ……… Health Beliefs and Practices Many differences in health beliefs exist among U.S. subcultures. They persist as a result of strong ethnic influences. Health beliefs, in turn, affect health practices Folk medicine (health practices unique to a particular group of people) has come to mean the methods of disease prevention or treatment outside mainstream conventional practice. Generally, lay providers rather than formally educated and licensed individuals give such treatments. In addition to culturally specific health practices, Alternative medicine attracts people for various reasons: ……. Just because a health belief or practice is different does not make it wrong. Culturally sensitive nurses respect the client’s belief system and integrate scientifically based treatment along with folk medicine. Examples of Alternative Medical Therapy Include: ……  Culturally Sensitive Nursing: Accepting that the United States is multicultural is the first step toward transcultural nursing. The following recommendations are ways to demonstrate culturally sensitive nursing care: Learn to speak a second language. Use culturally sensitive techniques to improve interactions such as sitting in the client’s comfort zone and making appropriate eye contact. Become familiar with physical differences among ethnic groups. Perform physical assessments, especially of the skin, using techniques that provide accurate data. Learn or ask clients about cultural beliefs concerning health, illness, and techniques for healing. Consult the client on ways to solve health problems.  Never verbally or nonverbally ridicule a cultural belief or practice. Integrate helpful or harmless cultural practices within the plan of care. Modify or gradually change unsafe practices. Avoid removing religious medals or clothes that hold symbolic meaning for the client. If they must be removed, keep them safe and replace them as soon as possible. Provide customarily eaten food. Advocate routine screening for diseases to which clients are genetically or culturally prone. Facilitate rituals by the person the client identifies as a healer within his or her belief system. Apologize if cultural traditions or beliefs are violated. Characterisitics of Middle Eastern culture: …..