Multicultural issues in health

Abstract

This chapter deals with the provision of nursing care to clients from a range of cultural backgrounds. Health beliefs and practices vary from culture to culture, making cultural sensitivity essential to the dehvery of effectIve nursing care. Studies have shown the need for greater knowledge and understanding of cultural differences to enable clinicians to respond more effectively to clients from non-English speaking backgrounds. (DiCicco-Bloom & Cohen 2003, Gebru & Willman 2003, Spence 2001). This chapter, then, will look at the significance of culture and how it affects our interactions with others' cultural issues that influence health and health care; and the concept of cultural safety. While it is important that we avoid stereotyping people, examples will be given of some of the common differences in views held by different cultures that demonstrate how cultural dIfferences can affect health care. While this chapter discusses primarily ethnic cultural groups, it should be borne in mind throughout that other subgroups within society also have their own specific cultural beliefs. They can therefore be disadvantaged if their beliefs differ from mainstream culture. A particular focus of this chapter will be the health needs of Indigenous Australians, a recognised subgroup of Australians, through an exploration of the case study of Irene.