Summary: Cultural Differences In Health Care

It is important for health care providers that we do not make assumptions and to be aware of cultural differences. Before we proceed we need to find out if the young lady was born and brought as an American, or if she was brought up in a traditional Asian family, with their values and beliefs, so we can conduct and appropriate health assessment. It is essential to keep in mind that ethnicity it is much more than country of birth, patient may have been born in a country and raised and grown in another country with different cultural influences (Cultural Considerations in Health Assessment, 2011). Cultural identity it is also a very important point since second-generation immigrants usually struggle in create their own identity because it is …show more content…
According to WHEC, we “should validate her experience by telling her she is not alone and no one deserves to be abused. Brief statements of empathy and validation can be powerful interventions”. Provide support, information and referral to appropriate resources such as telephone numbers of hot-lines, shelters, local support groups, and legal aid services are essential. In any case that abuse is determine or even suspect, documentation with detail description of the event will be essential. “Most states do not require health care providers to report of intimate partner violence to law enforcement unless injury has been inflicted by a gun or knife”, as cited by WHEC. Report to the police can be initiated only if the adult victim has consented (unless a minor or elderly person is involved), in many cases victims do not want to report abuse because they are afraid, that is why it is so important that we provide them all the information and the resources available. It is also vital to assist the victim to create a "quick-escape" plan in case of emergency and of course it will be beneficial to get Social Services and DCF involved for further assistance (Violence Against Women,