examples of culture differences present major barrers to intervetion?

[Smooth Operater]

I am taking a public health course as a undergrad. I learned that Health practitioners often overlook, misinterpret, stereotype or otherwise mishandle their encounters with those who might be viewed as culturally different from them in their assement, intervention and evaluation. During your rotations, have you experience culture barrier as a problem? If so, can you describe it? Thanks!

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[Tired Pigeon]

I've had cultural differences with people from the tribe of get-people-on-the-internet-to-do-your-homework.

 

[CarolinaGirl]

I am taking a public health course as a undergrad. I learned that Health practitioners often overlook, misinterpret, stereotype or otherwise mishandle their encounters with those who might be viewed as culturally different from them in their assement, intervention and evaluation. During your rotations, have you experience culture barrier as a problem? If so, can you describe it? Thanks!

I live in SA and am FNP so I will share a thought with you. One issue I had to deal with. I had a close friend who fell and hit her head, knocked out for an undetermined time, and then woke up but could not speak. The family informed me after three days that she had this problem (they live far out in a village). I went out there to bring her in to get a head CT. Well that very day they brought in the Pir (like a witchdoctor). They thought it was spiritual ( spirit causing this) since she was not better yet. I was not able to bring her in. Two weeks later with no improvement they let me bring her to the doctor. The possible problems I encountered were what ifs: would they let a doc operate if she needed it? would they just want her to die at home if there was nothing to do for her. I really struggled to find a balance between what I needed to do ( as a healthcare provider) and what the family needed (as perceived from their worldview)

Look up stuff on eye contact, male-female interaction for doc/pt. stuff, and another stuff on line.

 

[Tired]

I am taking a public health course as a undergrad. I learned that Health practitioners often overlook, misinterpret, stereotype or otherwise mishandle their encounters with those who might be viewed as culturally different from them in their assement, intervention and evaluation. During your rotations, have you experience culture barrier as a problem? If so, can you describe it? Thanks!

I hear this a lot too, but have never seen it.

Since you're in the course, and made this assertion to begin with, maybe you could offer us some examples of what you're talking about. Certainly the professor teaching the course had some examples to back this up, right?

 

[Law2Doc]

I hear this a lot too, but have never seen it.

Agreed. These issues seem to come up in discussions by ivy tower academics far more than in hospitals. Most people who seek medical care know the ropes. There are religious prohibitions to certain procedures and examinations, but far fewer of what I would call cultural ones.

 

[Tired]

Agreed. These issues seem to come up in discussions by ivy tower academics far more than in hospitals. Most people who seek medical care know the ropes. There are religious prohibitions to certain procedures and examinations, but far fewer of what I would call cultural ones.

This is so true. People who want "Western" medical assistance seek it. People who don't, don't. Personally, I have never felt it my role to seek out and convince people who don't want medical assistance that they should take it. And for those who have "alternative" views of what constitutes medical practice, I say that's your business, do what you want.

I guess in retrospect there is one major area I see us breaking down: translation. Translator phones are grossly under-utilized, and the use of family members as translators is, in my mind, extremely irresponsible. I'm not sure this is a cultural issue, however, as much as it is a money issue or laziness problem.

 

[naegleria brain]

read the spirit catches you and you fall down (the title is something like that) about a hmong family's experience with western medicine.

throwin my two cents out there, never actually seen it. it may be a once in a lifetime thing, or if you decide to practice medicine for one year at a different country each year. i dont know anyone who does that

 

[Tired]

read the spirit catches you and you fall down (the title is something like that) about a hmong family's experience with western medicine.

I did and I thought it amounted to little more than an intellectual excuse for child abuse by parents who knew how to play the system.

 

[deleted109597]

A Muslim family came into the OB triage area when I was on. I went in to do the pelvic, and the husband told me that I wasn't allowed to look at his wife there. He said that he would have to kill me.

My response was to casually walk out and inform the only female resident there at the time to have fun with that one.

 

[jocg27]

I did and I thought it amounted to little more than an intellectual excuse for child abuse by parents who knew how to play the system.

I find that a little harsh...Parents who knew how to play the system? Play the system for what exactly? I can completely completely agree that the parents are not without blame for what happened. But I really don't think that the end result of that situation was the ultimate goal they were 'working the system' for throughout the entire ordeal.

 

[Tired]

A Muslim family came into the OB triage area when I was on. I went in to do the pelvic, and the husband told me that I wasn't allowed to look at his wife there. He said that he would have to kill me.

My response was to casually walk out and inform the only female resident there at the time to have fun with that one.

I got the exact same threat from a 19yo white E-2 when I went to examine his wife. I'm guessing it wasn't religiously motivated, but I did appreciate the excuse to get out of doing a pelvic on his 300lbs wife.