Culture
Our way of life impacts how we view things around us, knowingly or unknowingly (Baker, 2023). We can reflect on our beliefs by considering a few key points, such as ethnocentrism—the idea that one’s own beliefs, values, and lifestyles are superior to others’. For example, a physician might favour Western medicine over a home remedy that a patient prefers. Another example may be the value of the nuclear family as opposed to multi-generational family relationships or sole parents. Social-vision impairment is another approach to try to maintain unbiased perceptions. Baker stated that social skills in clinical practice involve recognizing and appreciating diversity, building trust and respect, and showing proper care for each patient or client.
As a community support worker, it is important to be culturally competent by recognizing and accepting diversity, establishing trust and respect, and customizing care to meet client’s needs. Antoine et al. defined cultural safety as
the recognition that one needs to be aware of and challenge unequal power relations at the level of individual, family, community, and society. In a culturally safe environment, each person feels that their unique cultural background is respected, and they are free to be themselves without being judged, put on the spot, or asked to speak for all members of their group (2018, section 5).
Frontline workers must adapt their communication to maintain a culturally safe environment for clients. When clients feel safe, they can build trusting relationships that lead to quality care. Being familiar with cultural protocols in all communities is important.
Bearman (n.d.) explained that being culturally competent means that leaders effectively manage and support diverse individuals, which takes time, motivation, and practice. Cultural competence grows and changes as the world evolves. Competence involves using both methods and outcomes to communicate effectively with patients from diverse cultural backgrounds, whereas cultural humility encourages self-awareness and respect for unique differences. Therefore, “in order to be culturally competent, there are several characteristics that a leader possesses: Cultural awareness, cultural desire, cultural knowledge, cultural skill, and cultural encounters” (Bearman, n.d., chapter 2). Living in a multicultural society is a great environment to learn about other cultures, traditions, and values. With the lens of curiosity, mutual respect and understanding can occur, and intercultural relationships may form.
References
Antoine, A., Mason, R., Mason, R., Palahicky, S., & Rodriguez de France, C. (2018). Pulling together: A guide for curriculum developers. BCcampus. https://opentextbc.ca/indigenizationcurriculumdevelopers/
Baker, J. (2023). 1.3: Culture, beliefs, attitudes, and stigmatized illnesses. Medicine LibreTexts. https://med.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Health_and_Fitness/Contemporary_Health_Issues_(Baker)/01%3A_Introduction_to_Personal_Health/1.03%3A_Culture_Beliefs_Attitudes_and_Stigmatized_Illnesses
Bearman, A. (n.d.). Creating a diverse and inclusive organizational culture. PALNI Press. https://pressbooks.palni.org/diorgculture/
Image Credit
Figure 2: Elements of culture by Vmarss, CC BY-SA 4.0.
