Intercultural Competence: A Fundamental Skill for Health Care Professionals

TL/DR –

The article emphasizes the importance of intercultural competence as a fundamental skill for healthcare providers, as a patient’s beliefs and behaviors are influenced by their cultural background. Intercultural competence goes beyond mere cultural awareness, and involves the ability to communicate effectively and appropriately with patients of different cultures, taking into account their cultural characteristics. The article suggests that the process of developing this competence requires self-awareness, openness, active listening, and flexibility in communication, and a commitment to providing supportive, patient-centered care that respects cultural differences, while maintaining professional standards.

Intercultural Competence: A Key Skill for Healthcare Professionals

During an internship, I encountered a patient, Mr. L., a 20-year-old university student from China, who presented with lower back pain. He attributed his pain to poor posture. Despite attempts to correct this misconception, he resisted, not due to distrust in medical advice, but due to cultural beliefs rooted in his upbringing. This experience underscored the important role of intercultural competence in healthcare.

By definition, culture is a set of guidelines inherited by individuals within a society, influencing their world view, emotional experiences and behaviour. Culture, learned throughout life, exists in many dimensions, from the visible to the less apparent.

Intercultural competence is more than just cultural awareness. It’s the ability to communicate effectively in intercultural situations. By developing intercultural sensitivity, healthcare professionals can apply these competencies more adeptly when caring for patients from diverse cultural backgrounds. In healthcare, cultural competence is seen as an ongoing process where providers strive to work within the cultural context of their patients.

With globalization leading to increased population diversity, intercultural competence is crucial for improving healthcare effectiveness and patient-provider relationships. Studies indicate that international migrants accounted for over 10% of the population in several European countries in 2018. As diversity grows, the ability for healthcare professionals to communicate across cultural differences becomes more essential.

Healthcare professionals lacking cultural competence may face communication barriers, jeopardizing the quality of care. Cultures can be “high context” relying on indirect communication and non-verbal cues, or “low context” prioritizing literal and direct expression. Unaddressed cultural differences can create significant barriers in healthcare. Intercultural competence lays the groundwork for a safe environment where patients can freely express themselves and be genuinely understood.

Intercultural competence development begins with self-awareness. Healthcare professionals should explore and understand their own cultural influences. These influences shape our communication and interpretation of others’ behavior. Once one becomes familiar with their own cultural background, they must accept that cultural differences exist and may sometimes contradict their own beliefs. Recognizing these biases is essential in preventing them from becoming obstacles to care.

Once self-awareness is cultivated, it must be applied in patient interactions through openness, active listening, and flexible communication. Clinicians must provide supportive, patient-centered care, acknowledging the significance of patients’ beliefs and adapting their communication and therapeutic approaches accordingly.

The encounter with Mr. L. demonstrated that effective healthcare extends beyond medical assistance. Clinicians must be able to listen across cultures and embrace diversity. As healthcare becomes increasingly globalized, intercultural competence must stand beside clinical skill as a key component of good practice.

—
Read More Health & Wellness News ; US News