Multicultural End-of-Life Care : Dying and Diversity : Cross-Cultural Communication in Health Care
Some important factors to be considered in cross-cultural communication between health care providers and patients:
- A low context health care provider (hcp) should be sure his/her instructions are understood. The response of 'yes' does not necessarily mean that the patient understands what the hcp has said-- Instead, it may mean 'I heard you.' Health care providers can ask the patient to explain the instructions back to them.
- Patients from high context cultures may defer the authority of health providers and may be reluctant to questions the health care professional. Such patients may be reluctant to establish sustained eye contact with an individual perceived to be an authority figure, and to say "no" to avoid embarrassment.
- Information empowers some; others believe it causes hope to be lost and may hasten death.
- Ask specific questions to the patient and family about their beliefs and practices concerning herbal medicines or alternative healing practices, privacy, modesty and physical touch.
- Build a supportive, trusting relationship based on honesty and mutual respect.
- To facilitate negotiation of cultural understanding in provider- patient relationships, listen to the patient's stories, solicit their illness narratives and explanatory models, and build partnerships.
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This content is provided by Access to End-of-Life Care, an organization devoted to bringing multiculturalism to end-of-life care. Visit our main web site at www.access2eolcare.org.