Cultural awareness is an essential ethical concept that plays a pivotal role in healthcare. It revolves around the ideas of respect, acceptance, and diversity (Kaihlanen et al., 2019). Cultural competence refers to one’s ability to acknowledge diverse cultures and respect the associated values, behaviors, and beliefs. Medical institutions and healthcare professionals must be aware of cultural and social factors affecting patients from different backgrounds to ensure high-quality care and improve health outcomes.
Cultural awareness in the healthcare setting aims to recognize, acknowledge, and address cultural differences affecting medical care to ensure clear communication and avoid misunderstanding and confusion. A conceptual analysis by Henderson et al. (2018) revealed that cultural competence resulted in “satisfaction with care, the perception of quality healthcare, better adherence to treatments, effective interaction, and improved health outcomes” (p. 590). According to research findings by Kaihlanen et al. (2019), cultural awareness training for healthcare professionals improve their communication and “was perceived as useful and thought-provoking” (p. 1). Similarly, a study by Slobodin et al. (2021) demonstrated that online education programs were effective in reducing cultural biases and promoting open and accepting attitudes in healthcare practitioners during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, it is essential to address the diverse cultural and social needs of patients by developing relevant policies and improving current practices in healthcare institutions.
Overall, research findings confirm the importance of cultural awareness in the healthcare setting due to its connection to health outcomes and quality of care. The social and cultural needs of patients must be addressed with consideration of their diverse backgrounds. Openness, knowledge, sensitivity, and an ethical mindset constitute the primary elements of cultural competence. These skills can be obtained through training focusing on raising the cultural awareness of healthcare professionals.
References
Henderson, S., Horne, M., Hills, R., & Kendall, E. (2018). Cultural competence in healthcare in the community: A concept analysis.Health & Social Care in the Community, 26(4), 590-603. Web.
Kaihlanen, A. M., Hietapakka, L., & Heponiemi, T. (2019). Increasing cultural awareness: Qualitative study of nurses’ perceptions about cultural competence training.BMC nursing, 18(1), 1-9. Web.
Slobodin, O., Kula, Y., Clempert, N., & Cohen, O. (2021). Building capacity in times of crisis: Increasing cultural competence of healthcare professionals in the context of the COVID‐19. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 1-10. Web.