Case Study 6. Diverse and Culturally Specific Approaches to Healthcare

Diverse and Culturally Specific Approaches to Healthcare
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Diverse and Culturally Specific Approaches to Healthcare
Understanding cultural diversity within the workplace is crucial. In healthcare, understanding cultural diversity translates to the effective delivery of quality healthcare. In this paper, comparisons will be made between the United States’ culture, which is the culture I ascribe to, and the Indian culture. This paper will also provide a deeper insight into the Indian culture, including issues that are specific to the Indian culture. This will increase knowledge about Indian culture and help staff nurses offer better, culturally sensitive healthcare.
Indian culture is a collective culture where the group’s interests are given priority over individual interests (Purnell & Fenkl, 2019). This culture values interconnectedness and interdependence among group members. As a result, the family is valued and more so the extended family, which forms the base of the social unit within this culture (Purnell & Fenkl, 2019). Unlike the Indian culture, the American culture is individualistic. People in this culture value independence. They focus on achieving individual interests rather than group interests. In terms of family structure, the nuclear family is the base of the social unit. The role of a family is to ensure that individuals become independent. However, while there are key differences between these two cultures, one key similarity is evident. Indian culture is composed of tribes that form sub-cultures (Purnell & Fenkl, 2019). These tribes may have different cultural practices but in general, they fall under the umbrella of the Indian culture. Similarly, American culture is composed of sub-cultures. These sub-cultures also have different cultural practices based on the origin of the groups.
Historically, Indian culture is an amalgamation of different sub-cultures and is considered one of the oldest cultures in the world. The diverse nature of Indian culture is a result of the continuous integration of people migrating from other regions (Know India, n.d.). One key historical aspect of the Indian culture is the Indus Valley Civilization, which forms the beginning of the Indian culture as is known today (Know India, n.d.). In terms of the socio-economic aspects, the Indian culture is characterized by key issues such as low economic status which contribute to high socio-economic inequalities (Brinda, Attermann, Gerdtham, & Enemark, 2016). This has been an issue, especially in enhancing access to healthcare among socio-economically disadvantaged groups of people in this culture. One key political aspect of Indian culture is nepotism. According to Lunev and Alayev (2017), nepotism plays a significant role in politics within the Indian culture. Another political factor is sectarianism. This is especially evident between the Muslim minorities and the Hindu majorities within the Indian culture (Lunev & Alayev, 2017). Further, Indian culture values education. One of the key educational aspects of the Indian culture is that education is considered a long-life learning experience through which important aspects of their culture are passed along.
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