Cultural Competence in Healthcare

This assignment delves into the crucial topic of cultural competence in healthcare. It examines why it is essential for providing quality care to diverse patient populations. The assignment utilizes Hofstede's cultural dimensions model to understand how different cultures influence healthcare practices and patient expectations. It also discusses the challenges healthcare professionals face in delivering culturally competent care and offers strategies for improvement.

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CULTURAL COMPETENCE IN HEALTHCARE
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Introduction
A rise in the nation’s diversity has brought both challenges and opportunities for
healthcare systems and providers to deliver and create culturally competent services (GHPI,
2008, p. 2). Cultural competency is the aptitude of organizations and providers to provide health
care services efficiently the cultural and social needs of patients. A culturally competent health
care system aims at improving quality of care and health outcomes by addressing the ethnic and
racial health differences (Kaiser, 2003, p. 6). Besides addressing the issues in these disparities, a
cultural health care system also provides solutions to them in specific ways such as providing
optimal care to patients regardless of people's ethnic backgrounds, race or native languages,
cultural and religious beliefs. It is also important to note that the phrase cultural competence was
utilized first by Terry L. Cross together with his associates in 1989. Also, it was used again a
decade later where medical care professionals began to gain formal education and training.
Cultural competence subsequently developed as an academic field rooted in the remedial
education program since then. This essay explores how cultural competency can be used
efficiently and in a right manner when dealing with a person of a diverse background.
Cultural Values and Privileges
Cultural values are categorized as the assumptions, principles or beliefs that control the
decision which people make and the various acts in the society (Walker, 2007, p. 3). Based on
studies conducted, it has been discovered that there is significant agreement about values
embraced and recognized by a substantial number of Australians although there is no particular
value system to which all Australians subscribe. These values are classified as either being
descriptions or prescriptions. Descriptive values are taken to depict an existing reality, reflecting

CULTURAL COMPETENCE IN HEALTHCARE 3
how things are at present. It is easy to understand the benefits that best describe a particular
culture or society undertaking broad observations of actual choices made by individuals as they
do their day to day activities and making interpretations of these options as a replication of the
underlying values.
The values are viewed as prescriptions by contrast which is meant to normative or ideal
statements should be how things should be done (Reisinger & Dimanche, 2009, p. 122). This
entails which things are wrong and right and what should be value in the excellent community.
Prescriptive and descriptive views often create much confusion, and therefore, becomes hard for
the people to understand and differentiate them. Cultural privileges is a particular right, immunity
or advantage which is granted to an individual or a group of people in the country (Vass, 2014).
In most cases, the privileges are awarded to those members who belong to a dominant team in
the society.
Cultural Competence in the Health Sector
Having defined cultural competence and exploring different values and privileges making
up the culture it will be appropriate to determine major cultural competencies in the health sector.
The different cultural aspects of competence in the health sector have been illustrated in the
following discussion;
Individualism
Individualism entails the degree of interdependence people maintain among each other
(Podrug et al., 2009, p. 2). It involves with whether people's self- image being defined as an
individual or a group of people. People in individualistic societies tend to take care of themselves
with their direct families only while in collective society’s, individuals fit into categories and

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take care of each other in exchange for allegiance (Hofstede, 2011, p. 3). Australia is an
extremely individualistic nation, and this transforms to a loosely-knit community where the
anticipation is that people take care of themselves and their direct relatives.
Masculinity
In Australia, society is driven by the art of competition, success, and achievement. The
aspect of masculinity is nurtured all through from the start of school, throughout the life of an
individual and to the health sector. The factor is nurtured both when an individual is engaged in
work and when pursuing leisure. However, the aspect of feminism has been viewed as the quality
of life in the society. In this case, the quality of an individual life is seen as the success against
standing out of the crowd (Bergiel et al., 2012, p. 72). In Australia, the nation scores 61% on
masculinity dimension and is considered a more masculine-oriented society. The cultural value,
in this case, is characterized by the fact that individuals endeavor to be the finest and become a
winner. For this reason, Australian are proud of their success and achievements which have been
propelled by this cultural value in the health sector.
Long-Term Orientation
In this section, the culture acknowledges the history when dealing with the future and
present challenges in the society (Rinuastuti et al., 2014, p. 144). The normative culture, in
contrast, prefers to maintain the time-honored traditions and beliefs when viewing the change in
the society. In Australia, the community exerts more pressure on the need for the population to
live in the absolute truth where, they respect the traditions, and in most cases, their focus is more
oriented in achieving the quick results. The dimension explains how every society maintains
some links with their past dealings with the present and future challenges. Corporations tend to

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give priority to these two goals differently (Soares, 2007, p. 277). Normative cultures uphold
time-honored practices and beliefs while viewing changes in the society. Australia is a normative
culture as it scores 21 in the dimension and people have an intense apprehension with obtaining
the complete truth. Great respect for tradition is considerably exhibited in Australia a little
propensity for future saving and an effort for achieving quick results.
A reflection of the Cultural Practices
Cultural values, practices, and privileges have been evident in different clients and individuals
in the health system. These values are reflected in my community’s day to day interaction in the
health sector and therefore being everyone’s responsibility to uphold them. Organizations that
practice cultural competence provide improved healthcare facilities, and there are mutual
understanding and respect among the patients and persons also have amplified participation in
the indigenous community (Health Research & Educational Trust, 2013, p. 3). Cultural
competence reduces the cost and care disparities in organizations that put this into the
application. Culturally competent healthcare organizations have been able to provide numerous
benefits both for the patients and the society at large. Some of the social benefits include
improved mutual respect and understanding among institutions and patients, improve trust and
promotion of inclusion of all community members (Australian Government, 2005). The health
benefits include enhanced health care, reduction of health care disparities in patient population
and better collection of the patient's data. It is therefore clearly evident that cultural competence
is practiced in different healthcare institutions and organizations because of the improved health
care provided and the recommendable results obtained.

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Application of the Strength-Based Approach to Culturally
Competent Care
The benefits of cultural values and privileges are great importance and are widely applicable
to the health care system in Australia. However, several aspects have to be put into consideration
in the application of the elements of cultural competence and such include:
 Cultural sensitivity involves attitude and issues that affect others. A person's perspective
about themselves and others are directly relatable to their culture and their capability to
explore areas that can lead to a deeper appreciation of their religion (Galanti, 2012, p. 2).
 Culturally competent behaviors is an aspect entails carrying oneself in ways that
demonstrate sensitivity and awareness to the needs of other cultures (King et al., 2010). It
is important to note that cultural competence at a personal level exists only if it is
practiced and developed in health care organizations (Beavers, 2011, p. 12).
 Cultural awareness is concerned with a person’s understanding of how different cultures
are similar and also different and the effect of the culture on people’s practices and
beliefs. It is crucial to put into consideration how the culture mannerisms affect the health
care systems (Hogg & Holland, 2010, p. 3).
Consideration of Cultural needs when delivering Culturally
Competent care
Health care professionals encounter patients from different cultural backgrounds, and it is,
therefore, crucial for a health expert to practice cultural competence during delivery of services
(GHPI, 2008). Many social workers work in settings that offer services to immigrant and refugee
clients, and the population of refugees is rapidly increasing in Australia.

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Considering a non-English speaking refugee having arrived recently from a country
at war with his partner and a young family.
In this case, several factors have to be put into consideration. In Australia for
instance, the NSW Refugee Health Plan (2011-2016) has been a statewide plan meant to
develop the well-being and health of refugees and people with refugee-like experiences in
settling in Australia, New South Wales. This plan was to ensure that high-quality services
were delivered and the through the specific refugee services through accessible linguistic
and culturally competent conventional health services. The process of claims processing
whereby the refugee undergoes an interview with the assistance of an interpreter could
cause fear and trauma to the refugee. This process determines whether the individual is
making a valid claim for to be a refugee. The health care professional has to also
understand the needs of the client to plan for ways to deliver and evaluate the care. Such
needs include things such as the health status and health care needs, mental health, family
dynamics, their education, language and economic well-being and also their inter-ethnic
interactions. The health officers should, therefore, plan on addressing such needs in case
they come up through ways such as having an interpreter incase language barrier
becomes a problem
It is important to have a deep exploration of the refugee's culture, their beliefs,
their religion and cultural background so that the healthcare officer will not do anything
insensitive or against the refugee’s beliefs and practice. They should be culturally aware
of the refugee's history, and when approaching the client, the health officer should be in a

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joyful and welcoming mood to make the client feel at home. In case there is the case of a
language barrier, an interpreter should be available to provide the right interpretations so
that communication is effective. Suppose it is a refugee from a country experiencing civil
wars, the officer should have knowledge of the current situation in the refugee country
and they should be careful when addressing sensitive matters pertaining the refugee’s
homeland. They have to avoid stereotyping the client from such countries and ethnicities
with terrorism. They have also to treat them with respect and respect their opinions on
different subjects during their conversations, and this provides a safe atmosphere for the
client to open up when receiving the care. These refugees can also be referred to a
psychiatrist in case they have mental trauma following the experience of moving to an
entirely different country far from home and the people they knew. The health profession
should create a good rapport during the interaction since the refugee might view the
behavior of the officer as being the general behavior of people in the country.
Conclusion
The diversity experienced in the nations' health sector has brought about challenges
which are related to the cultural competence, values, and privileges. The cultural values and
privileges experienced in the Australia health society include the aspect of long-term orientation,
power distance, and indulgence. The cultural values affect both the patients and the organization
in matters related to cost and customer satisfaction. This is because a competent culture will
reduce the healthcare disparities among people in the society. When delivering the culturally
competent care, the key cultural needs to be considered include the language, cultural awareness,
and cultural encounter. The observance of all the cultural diversities will help id deliver the best

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health care services to all patients irrespective of their race, color, ethnicity, economic status, and
background.
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