Multicultural Aspects

7/29/2019 Multicultural Aspects

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Multicultural Aspects

of Learning


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Cultural Differences

If predictions prove true, it will be the first time in U.S. historythat minority subgroups will become the majority of the total

population.

If the present demographic trends continue, when this

historical milestone is reached, the racial and ethniccomposition of this country will be 23.4% Hispanics, 14.7%blacks, 12% Asians and others. As of the year 2000, accordingto the U.S. Census Bureau, the current composition of the U.S.

population was 71.3% whites 12.2% blacks, 11.2% Hispanics,3.8% Asian/Pacific Islanders, and 0.7% American Indians.

To keep pace with a society that is increasingly moreculturally diverse, nurses will need to have sound knowledgeof the cultural values and beliefs of specific ethnic groups aswell as be aware of individual practices and preferences.


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In the past, healthcare providers have experienced

difficulties in caring for clients whose cultural beliefs

differ from their own, because beliefs about health and

illness vary considerably among cultural groups.

Lack of cultural sensitivity by healthcare

professionals has resulted in millions of dollars wasted

annually through misuse of heathcare services, thealienation of large numbers of people, and the

misdiagnosis of health problems with often tragic and

dangerous consequences.

In addition, certain underrepresented groups are

beginning to demand culturally relevant health care

that respects their cultural rights and incorporates their

specific beliefs and practices into the delivery of care.


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This expectation is in direct conflict with the unicultural,

Western, biomedical paradigm taught in many nursing andother healthcare provider programs across the country.

Andrews (1992) suggested that a serious conceptual

problem exists within the nursing profession because

nurses are presumed to understand and be able to

meet the healthcare needs of a culturally diverse

population, even though they do not have the formal

educational preparation to do so.


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Definition of Terms

Acculturation: A willingness to modify ones ownculture as a result of contact with another culture

Assimilation: The willingness of a person emigrating toa new culture to gradually adopt and incorporate

characteristics of the prevailing culture

Culturalassessment: A systematic appraisal of beliefs,values, and practices conducted in order to determine

the context of client needs and to tailor nursing

interventions


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Cultural Competence: A conscious process ofdemonstrating knowledge and understanding of a

clients culture

Cultural diversity: representing a variety ofdifferent cultures

Cultural relativism: implies that the values everyhuman group assigns to its conventions arise out of its

own historical background and can be understood onlyin the light of that background

Culture: A complex concept that is the integral part of

eachpersons life


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Ethnicity: refers to how members of a groupperceive themselves and how, in turn, they are

perceived by others

Ethnocentrism: describes the universal tendency

of human beings to think that their ways are theonly right and proper

Transculturalnursing: a formal study and practice

focused on a comparative analysis of differentcultures and subcultures


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Promoting Cultural Knowledge

3 Approaches:

1. fact-centered approachprovide info aboutthe health beliefs and behaviors of

specific ethnic groups2. attitude-centeredemphasizing the

importance of valuing and respecting allcultures; acknowledgement of cultureand fostering of positive attitude; (eg.

focus on cultural sensitivity)3. ethnographic approachlearning how to ask;focus is on inquiry, reflection, and analysisas a means of getting to know an individual


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Assessing Culturally Diverse

Learner

Communication

Space

Social Organization Time

Environmental Control

Biological variations


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General Assessment and

Teaching Interventions

The following specific guidelines for assessment should be

used regardless of the particular culture orientation of theclient:

1. Observe the interactions between patient and familymembers and among family members.

2. Listen to the patient.

3. Consider communication abilities and patterns.

4. Explore customs or taboos.


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5. Determine the notion of time.

6. Be aware of cues for interaction.

Use of Translators

In teaching clients who are only partially fluent in English,

the following strategies, adapted from Tripp-Reimer andAfifi and Poss & Rangel, are recommended to help thenurse alter the style of interaction when no translator isused:

1. speak slowly and distinctly, allowing for twice as muchtime as a typical teaching session would take.

2. use simple sentence structures, relying on a directsubject-verb pattern and an active rather than passive

voice


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3. Avoid technical terms

4. Organize instructional material

5. Make no assumptions that the info given has beenunderstood.


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The 4 MajorCultural Groups

Hispanic American Culture

-fastest-growing minority group

-11.9% of the total pop.

-sometimes referred to as Latinos

-Latin American or Spanish decent or who use the Spanishlang.

-Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Central and S. Americans,Cubans

-affected by certain Ca, alcoholism, drug abuse, obesity,HPN, Diabetes, adolescent pregnancy, dental dse &HIV/AIDS

-use of herbs, teas, home remedies, OTC drugs, belief onhealth healers known as curenderos or espiritistas forhealth advice & tx


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Black American Culture

-make up the largest historically underrepresented group

-speak French, Spanish, African dialects & various forms ofEnglish

-occupation-related dses, obesity, food is a symbol of

health & wealth-poverty, low educational attainment

-high death rates from Ca, CVDs, cirrhosis, diabetes,accidents, homicides & infant mortality

-high risk for addiction, teenage pregnancy & STDs

-pessimistic about human rel., suspicious of healthcareprofessionals

-concept of extended family, respect of elders & ancestors


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3 themes regarding Black Americans belief system:

1. The world is a hostile & dangerous place to live

2. The individual is vulnerable to attack from external f

forces

3. The individual is considered helpless w/ few internalresources to combat adversity

Asian/Pacific Islander

-people from Asian countries & the Pacific Islands constitutethis cultural group

-language barrier wide variety of cultural, religious &language background

-common values: male authority & dominance, saving face,strong family ties, respect for parents, elders, teachers, &other authority figures


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Native American Culture

- American Indian or Native Alaskan descent

-major characteristics:

1. A spiritual attachment to the land & harmony withnature

2. An intimacy of religion & medicine3. Emphasies on strong ties to an extended family network,including immediate family, other relatives, & the entiretribe

4. The view that children are an asset, not a liability

5. A belief that supernatural powers exist in animate as wellas in inanimate objects

6. A desire to remain Native American & void acculturation,thereby retaining ones own culture & language

7. A lack of materialism, time consciousness, & a desire toshare w/ others


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-practices witchcraft

-family and tribe is of utmost importance

-talking is unnecessary, but simply being there is highly impt

-kinship system

-children are given a great deal of freedom & independence tolearn by their decisions & live by the consequences of theiractions

-not very future oriented-tend not to live by clocks & schedules

-belief that death is just a part of the life cycle


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Gender differences in brain structure

Men Women

TEMPORAL

LOBE

Regions of the

cerebral cortex

help to control

hearing

In cognitively

normal men, a

small region of

the temporal lobehas about 10%

fewer neurons

More neurons are

located in the

temporal region

where language,melodies &

speech tones are

understood


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Men Women

CORPUS

CALLUSOM

The main bridge

b/w the L & Rbrain contains a

bundle of

neurons that

carry messages

b/w the 2 brain

hemispheres

This part of the

brain in men

takes up less

volume than awomen does,

which suggests

less

communicationb/w the 2 brain

hemispheres

The bak portion

of the callusom in

women is bigger

than in men, w/cmay explain why

women use both

sides of their

brains forlanguage



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ANTERIORCOMMISSURE

This collection of

nerve cells,

smaller than the

corpus callusom,

also connects the

brains 2 hem

The commissurein men is smaller

than in women,

even though

mens brains are,on average, larger

in size than

womens brains

The commissurein women is

larger than in

men, w/c may be

a reason whytheir cerebral

hemispheres

seem to work

together on tasks

from language to

emotional

response



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Men Women

BRAIN

HEMISPHERE

The L side of thebrain controls

language, & the

R side of the

brain is the seatof emotion

The R hem of

mens brains

tends to bedominant

Women tend to

use their brains

more holistically,calling on both

hem

simultaneously



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Men Women

BRAIN SIZE

Total brain size is

approximately 3

lbs.

Mens brains, on

average, are larger

than womens

Have smaller

brains, on average,

than men because

the anatomicalstructure of their

entire bodies is

smaller. However,

have more neuronsthan men (an

overall 11%)

crammed into the

cerebral cortex


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