1. Cultural Considerations Across the Lifespan and in Health and Illness
Chapter 3
Cultural Considerations Across the Lifespan and in Health and Illness
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Objectives
Define culture and its expression.
Describe the difference between beliefs and values.
Identify various beliefs and values in today’s adult population.
Discuss the impact of culture and personal values on everyday life and healthy behaviors.
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Objectives (cont.)
Explain the relationship of culture and values to health-promotion teaching.
Define complementary and alternative therapies.
Discuss the role of the government in promoting culturally competent health care.
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Key Terms
acculturation
alternative medicine
beliefs
complementary medicine
cultural awareness
cultural care
cultural competence
cultural interventions
cultural sensitivity
cultural stereotyping
culture
ethnicity
ethnocentric
stereotyping
values
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Culture
A set of learned values, beliefs, customs, and behaviors shared by a common social group
Passed down through generations of family
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Cultural Sensitivity
Observing and demonstrating knowledge of culturally appropriate verbal language, body language, use of personal space, and gestures of respect toward family members
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Cultural Competence
Awareness of, acceptance of, and respect for beliefs, values, traditions, and practices that are different from one’s own
Cultural stereotyping
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8. Critical Thinking Question 1
What practices may be influenced by a person’s culture? Do you think all people of the same culture have the same practices?
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Beliefs
Cultural teachings of practices and values handed down for generations
Determine how one behaves and responds to daily life and health-care practices
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Values
Deep feelings about what is right or wrong, good or bad
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Ethnicity
A cultural pattern shared by people with the same cultural heritage:
Language
Preferred diet
Specific customs
Family roles
Religious beliefs
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Cultural Awareness
Recognizing the history of patients’ ancestry or culture and how their customs influence the handling of problems, issues, or teachings
Ethnocentricity
Acculturation
See Table 3-1.
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Cultural Care
Cultural interventions
Communication
Personal space
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Culture and Pregnancy
Effleurage
The PrimaBella
See Figure 3-1.
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Culture and the Child
Cultural practices can influence the timing of developmental stages
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16. Culture and the Adolescent
Independence in adolescents is not valued equally by all cultures.
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Culture and the Adult
Views of women
Marriage
Birth control
Health care
Abortion
Menopause
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18. Culture and the Older Adult
A positive attitude toward life and health is encouraged for older adults in most cultures.
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19. Culture and Health Beliefs
Balances between hot and cold
Yang (light, heat, or dryness) and yin (darkness, cold, or wetness)
Harmony in body, mind, and spirit
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20. Critical Thinking Question 2
What is the humoral theory and how might it affect how you care for someone of a non-Western culture?
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Culture and Illness
Specific holidays may involve some restriction of activity
Sacrament of Last Rites
Declining medications or psychotherapy
Declining blood transfusions or medications containing blood products
Sacred undergarments
Illness is the result of sins committed in a previous life or for the atonement of sins in the present life
“Sick persons’ role”
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Culture and Death
Self-Determination Act of 1991
In most Western cultures, a high value is placed on individual life
In many non-Western cultures, the welfare of the family is primary, and life-and-death decisions are made by group approval
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Culture and Teaching
The myriad of cultures creates an opportunity for misunderstandings and misinterpretations of health-care teachings
Questions should be phrased in a neutral fashion
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Culture and Food
Many cultures and religions include certain foods as an integral part of holiday celebrations and may also restrict the consumption of other foods
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25. Complementary and Alternative Therapies and Culture
Growing desire for control of one's own body and health-care decisions
Desire for consideration of family, cultural beliefs, and values
Alternative medicine
Complementary medicine
Every patient should be assessed for CAM therapy use
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26. Critical Thinking Question 3
Why is it important for the nurse to determine any alternative or complementary medicines the patient may be using and how should it be included in the plan of care?
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27. The Government’s Role in Promoting Culturally Competent Care
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health and Cross Cultural Health Care
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
U.S. Office of Minority Health
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Outcomes
Understanding culture as related to health care will:
Improve services and health-care outcomes.
Enhance cost effectiveness of health care.
Reduce errors caused by misunderstandings.
Assist in reaching Healthy People 2020 goals.
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