Cultural Diversity

Rachel Chan
Immaculata University Dietetic Intern

Cultural Diversity
Cultural Diversity
What is the definition of this?
Explain in your own words

Why is it important for us to

learn about this?
Do you have any experience
talking to participants from a
different cultural background?

America
Melting Pot
Immigrants change to fit the
society of their new home

Salad Bowl
Immigrants retain their cultural
identity in their new home

Kaleidoscope
Both the immigrants and
society adapt and change

Cultures in America
African
Asian
North American
European
Latin American
Middle Eastern

Cultural

Knowledge
Being familiar with certain cultural characteristics, history,
values, belief systems, and behaviors of another ethnic group

.Awareness
Developing sensitivity and understanding of another ethnic
group. This usually involves internal changes in terms of
attitudes and values
Awareness and sensitivity also refer to the qualities of
openness and flexibility that people develop in relation to
others
Cultural awareness must be supplemented with cultural
knowledge

.Sensitivity
Knowing that cultural differences as well as similarities exist,
without assigning values, i.e., better or worse, right or wrong,
to those cultural differences

Cultural Competence
Definition:
a set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies
that come together in a system, agency, or among
professionals and enables that system, agency, or
those professionals to work effectively in cross-cultural
situations (Cross, Bazron, Dennis, & Isaacs, 1989)
Operationally defined
cultural competence is the integration and
transformation of knowledge about individuals and
groups of people into specific standards, policies,
practices, and attitudes used in appropriate cultural
settings to increase the quality of health care; thereby
producing better health outcomes (Davis, 1997).

Culturally Sensitive
Approaches

Excerpted from Working from Within: 24 Tips for

Culturally Sensitive Programming
1.

Invest time in knowing the culture in which you are

operating.
2. Hear what the community has to say.
3. Demonstrate respect.
4. Show patience.
5. Gain the support of local power structures.
6. Be inclusive.
7. Provide solid evidence.
8. Rely on the objectivity of science.
9. Avoid value judgments.
10. Use language sensitively.
11. Work through local allies.
12. Assume the role of facilitator.

Culturally Sensitive
Approaches (cont.)

Excerpted from Working from Within: 24 Tips for

Culturally Sensitive Programming
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.

Honor commitments.
Know your adversaries.
Find common ground.
Accentuate the positive.
Use advocacy to effect change.
Create opportunities for women.
Build community capacity.
Reach out through popular culture.
Let people do what they do best.
Nurture partnerships.
Celebrate achievements.
Never give up.

More on being cultural

sensitive
Being culturally sensitive can mean different things to
everyone
When speaking to participants from different cultural
background:
Do not make assumptions (of their eating habits and
cultural background)
Learn more about other cultures through books, movies,
or even just by talking to others
Always ask if you can provide suggestions
Would you like to know more about?
Can I give you some suggestions on.?

Be polite
If you are not sure about something, ask the participant
to explain! It doesnt hurt

References
http://cecp.air.org/cultural/Q_howdifferent.ht
m
http://www.unfpa.org/culture/tips.htm
http://education.nationalgeographic.com/ed
ucation/activity/cultural-diversity-unitedstates/?ar_a=1