Caution: These are broad generalizations and should not be used to stereotype any individuals.
Communication
• Individual expects
to know details of condition.
• Privacy is important.
• Direct eye contact
is expected. But try
to avoid excessive direct eye contact with members of the opposite
sex to avoid
any hint of sexual impropriety.
• Emotional control
is expected.
• Will want nurses
to provide psychosocial care.
Family/Gender
Issues
• Generally small
family size.
• Immediate family
refers to spouse, siblings, parents, children.
• Decision-making
by individual for self, or by either parent for child.
• Husbands and wives
may have equal authority.
• Independence valued;
self-care will generally be accepted.
Time
Orientation
• Depends on socioeconomic
class. Poor people tend to be present-oriented; middle & upper class
individuals tend to be future oriented.
Expression
of Pain
• Patients will
generally tend to be stoic, although will want pain medication.
Pregnancy
& Birth
• Prenatal care
is generally sought.
• Husband is usually
the preferred labor partner.
• Hospital births
generally preferred, even if an alternative birthing center is used. This
may be related to a cultural desire to control events.
• No post-partum
rituals.
• Breastfeeding
is generally practiced for 3-6 months
End
of Life Issues
• Patient will generally
want to know diagnosis and prognosis.
• Stoicism is valued
when someone dies.
• Organ donations
& autopsies are acceptable, unless forbidden by religion.
• Cremation or burial
acceptable, unless one is preferred by religion.
Health
Related Practices
• Generally prefer
an aggressive approach to treating illness.
• Biomedicine preferred,
although many may also use complementary and alternative medicine. Be
sure to inquire about the use of herbal medications.
• May prefer to
be left alone when sick.
• Germs thought
to be the cause of disease; treatment aimed at destroying germs. Antibiotics
often requested, even for viral illnesses.
