Adults of all ages and all cultural groups suffering from physical illnesses have the right to expect culturally competent health care. All human beings are cultural beings, therefore, it is import to remember that not only people from minority ethnic groups have cultural needs, but all people have cultural needs which should be taken into consideration by those who provide health care.
In terms of learning how to care for adults, it is important to remember that people from different cultures will share many similarities. However, there may be subtle differences between people from different cultures.
Human nature is what all human beings have in common ... . The human ability to feel fear, anger, love ... . However, what one does with these feelings, how one expresses fear, joy, etc. is modified by culture.
(Hofstede, 1997, p5)
References:
Hofstede, G. (1997) Cultures and Organisations. Software of the Mind. New York: McGraw-Hill
|