Nations of Origin Communication Space Time Orientation Social Organization Environmental Biological Variations

Control
Asian  National language  Noncontact  Present  Family:hierarchical  Traditional  Liver cancer
 China preference people structure, loyalty health and illness  Stomach cancer
 Hawaii  Dialects, written  Devotion to beliefs  Coccidioidomycosis
 Philippines characters tradition  Use of  Hypertension
 Korea  Use of silence  Many religions, traditional  Lactose intolerance
 Japan  Nonverbal and including Taoism, medicines
 Southeast Asia contextual cuing Buddhism, Islam, and  Traditional
 (Laos, Christianity practitioners:
Cambodia,  Community Social Chinese doctors
Vietnam) Organizations and herbalists
Africa  National  Close personal Present over Family: many  Traditiona  Sickle cell
 West coast (as languages space future female, single l health and anemia
slave)  Dialect: pidgin, parent illness beliefs  Hypertension
 Many African creole, Spanish, Large, extended  Folk  Cancer of the
countries and French family networks medicine esophagus
 West Indian Strong church tradition  Stomach
Islands affiliation within  Traditiona cancer
 Domnican community l health:  Coccidioido
republic Community social rootworker mycosis
 Haiti organizations  Lactose
 Jamaica intolerance
Europe  National  Nonontact people Future over Nuclear families  Primary  Breast cancer
 Germany languages  Aloof present Extended families reliance on  Heart disease
 England  Many learn  Distant Judeo-Christian modern health  Diabetes
 Italy English  Southern religions care system mellitus
 Ireland immediately countries: closer Community social  Traditiona  Thalassemia
 Other European contact and touch organizations l health and 
Countries illness beliefs
 Some
remaining folk
medicine
traditions
American Indian  Tribal languages  Space very  Present  Extremely family  Traditional  Accidents
 500 American  Use of silence important and oriented health and illness  Heart disease
Indian tribes and body has no  Biological and beliefs  Cirrhosis of the
 Aleuts language boundaries extended families  Folk medicine liver
 Eskimos  Children taught to tradition  Diabetes mellitus
respect traditions  Traditional
 Community social healer: medicine
organizations man
Hispanic countries  Spanish or Tactile Present Nuclear family  Traditiona  Diabetes
 Soain Portuguese relationships: Extened families l health and mellitus
 Cuba primary language  Touch Compadrozzo; illness beliefs  Parasites
 Mexico  Handshakes godparents  Folk  Coccidioido
 Central and  Embracing Community social medicine mycosis
South America  Value of physical organizations tradition  Lactose
presence  Traditiona intolerance
l healers:
curandero,
espiritista,
partera, senora

Cultural Group Cultural Variations Nursing Implications

(common belief/practices)
African-Americans Dialect and slang terms require careful Question the client’s meaning or intent
communication to prevent error (e.g.,
“bad” may mean “good”)
Mexican Americans Eye behavior is important. An individual Always touch the child you are examining
who looks at and admires a child without or admiring
touching the child has given the child the
“evil eye.”
American Indians Eye contact is a sign of disrespect and is Recognize that the client may be attentive
thus avoided and interested even though eye contact is
avoided
Appalachians Eye contact is considered impolite or a Avoid excessive eye contact. Clarify
sign of hostility. Verbal pattern may be statements.
confusing.
 American Eskimos Body language is very important.
The individual seldom disagrees publicly
with others. Client may nod yes to yes to
be polite, even if not in agreement.
Jewish Americans Orthodox Jews consider excess touching,
particularly from members of the opposite
sex, offensive.
Chinese Americans Individual may nod head to indicate yes or
shake head to indicate no.
Excessive eye contact indicates rudeness.
Excessive touch is offensive
Filipino Americans Offending people is to be avoided at all
cost.
Nonverbal behavior is very important.
Haitain Americans Touch is used in conversation.
Direct eye contact is used to gain attention
and respect during communication.
East Indian Hindu Americans Women avoid eye contact as a sign of
respect.
Vietnamese Americans Avoidance of eye contact is a sign of
respect.
The head is considered sacred; it is not
polite to pat the head.
An upturned palm is offensive in
communication.
Important Definitions:
1. Culture: is a patterned behavioral response that develops over time through social and religious customs and intellectual and
artistic activities; a result of acquired mechanisms that may have innate influences but are primarily affected by internal and
external environmental stimuli.
Monitor own body language l\closely as
well as client’s to detect meaning.
Establish whether client is an Orthodox
Jew and avoid excessive touch.
Ask questions carefully and clarify
responses.
Avoid excessive eye contact and touch.
Monitor nonverbal behaviors of self and
client, being sensitive to physical and
emotional discomfort or concerns of the
client.
Use direct eye contact when
communicating.
Be aware that men may view eye contact
by women as offensive. Avoid eye contact.
Limit eye contact.
Touch the hand only when mandated and
explain clearly before proceeding to do so.
Avoid hand gesturing.
2. Cultural values: unique, individual expressions of a particular culture that have been accepted as appropriate over time. They
guide actions and decision making that facilitate self-worth and self-esteem.
3. Cultural behavior: how a person acts in certain situations, is socially acquired, not genetically inherited.
4. Transcultural Nursing: is viewed as a culturally competent practice field that is client centered and research focused. Every
individual is culturally unique, and nurses are no exception. Therefore, nurses must use caution to avoid projecting their own
cultural uniqueness and world views on the client if culturally appropriate care is to be provided.
5. Ethnicity: is frequently, and perhaps incorrectly, used to mean race. The term ethnicity includes more than biological
identification. Ethnicity in its broadest sense refers to groups of whose members share a common social and cultural heritage
that is passed on to successive generations. The most important characteristic of ethnicity is that members of an ethnic group
feel a sense of identity.
6. Race: in contrast to ethnicity, race is related to biology. Member of particular group share distinguishing physical features
such as skin color, bone structure, or blood group.
7. Ethnocentrism: Looking at the world from their own particular cultural viewpoint.
8. Stereotyping: is the assumption that all people in a similar cultural, racial, or ethnic group are alike and share the same values
and beliefs. A excellent example of stereotyping is an African-American nurse being assigned to care from an African-
American client simply because of ethnicity and race.