Medicine in Multicultural Society - Year 1

Question 1

What is culture?

Answer 1

Culture is a filter through which people process their experiences and events of their lives. It influences people’s values, actions and expectations of themselves. It impacts people’s perceptions and expectations of others.

Question 2

What does culture affect?

Answer 2

• Behaviour
• Diet
• Family structure
• Perceptions
• Body image
• Language
• Beliefs
• Religion and rituals
• Personal space
• Attitudes to illness and healthcare
• Dress
• Emotions

Question 3

How does culture affect the delivery in healthcare?

Answer 3

1. Misunderstandings in diagnosis or in treatment planning arising from differences in language or culture
2. Poor patient adherence with treatments, and poor outcomes
3. Health care disparities

Question 4

Culture barriers?

Answer 4

1. Lack of knowledge
2. Fear and distrust
3. Bias and ethnocentrism
4. Stereotyping
5. Language barriers / presence of a third party e.g. family member
6. Different perceptions and expectations
7. Situation
8. Examination taboos
9. Gender difference

Question 5

What is culture competence?

Answer 5

Cultural competence is the ongoing capacity of healthcare systems, organizations and professionals to provide for diverse patient populations high quality care that is safe, patient- and family- centered, evidence-based, and equitable.

It is a continuum of:

1. Knowledge- Understanding meaning of culture and its importance to healthcare
2. Attitudes - Having respect for variations in cultural norms
3. Skills- Eliciting patients’ explanatory models of illness