Breaking Down Cultural Barriers For Effective Communication

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Breaking Down Cultural Barriers For Effective
Communication
Fatima Sharif CLAS Act Coordinator
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Source http//www.fcphp.usf.edu/courses/content/A
CC/ACCfinal.pdf
Objectives

• Identify the role of cultural factors in
  determining and delivering disaster intervention
  services.
• Share appropriate methods for interacting
  sensitively, effectively and professionally with
  persons from diverse cultures
• To include socioeconomic, educational, racial,
  ethnic, and lifestyle preferences.
• Develop and adapt approaches to assisting
  disaster survivors that take into account
  cultural differences.

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Why is Cultural CompetenceImportant in Disaster
Response?

• Decreases risk for adverse effects, distress and
  disorders.
• Increases effectiveness of
• response and recovery efforts.

Source Assuring Cultural Competence in Disaster
Response. Florida Center for Public health
Preparedness. lthttp//www.fcphp.usf.edu/courses/co
ntent/ACC/ACCfinal.pdfgt
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Why is Cultural CompetenceImportant in Disaster
Response?
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Cultural Competence
"the process in which the healthcare professional
continually strives to achieve the ability and
availability to effectively work within the
cultural context of a client"

• Cultural Desire
• Cultural Awareness
• Cultural Knowledge
• Cultural Skill
• Cultural Encounter

Source Campinha-Bacote Model of Cultural
Competence. http//www.transculturalcare.net/
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Definitions
Culture

• The system of shared beliefs, values, customs,
  behaviors, and artifacts that the members of
  society use to cope with their world and with one
  another, and that are transmitted from generation
  to generation through learning.

Source New York New Jersey Public Health
Training Center. The Communicate to Make a
Difference Series.
7
Unique Cultural Being

• Each individual is culturally unique
• Product of past experiences
• Cultural values beliefs
• Cultural norms
• Cultural expressions
• Cultural behaviors
• Cultural perceptions

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Continuum of Cultural Competency
Source New York New Jersey Public Health
Training Center. The Communicate to Make a
Difference Series.
9
Cultural competence is an ongoing process

• Human experience
• Organizational Change
• Changing demographics

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• Survivors react to and recover from disaster
  within the context of their
• individual racial and ethnic backgrounds
• cultural viewpoints
• life experiences
• values.

Source (Fothergill et al., 1999).
http//www.state.nj.us/health/er/documents/cultura
l_competence.ppt365,4,Slide 4
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Culture offers a protective system that is
comfortable and reassuring.
Source (Fothergill et al., 1999).
http//www.state.nj.us/health/er/documents/cultura
l_competence.ppt365,4,Slide 4
12

• It defines
• appropriate behavior
• furnishes social support
• identity
• a shared vision for recovery.

Source (Fothergill et al., 1999).
http//www.state.nj.us/health/er/documents/cultura
l_competence.ppt365,4,Slide 4
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Despite the strengths of culture, the social
circumstances and responses from some groups may
make them more vulnerable than others.
Source (Fothergill et al., 1999).
http//www.state.nj.us/health/er/documents/cultura
l_competence.ppt365,4,Slide 4
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Barriers to Cross-Cultural Communication

• Assumed similarity
• Non-verbal communication
• Language itself
• Cultural perceptions
• Preconceptions
• Stereotypes

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Barriers

• Fear of government and police
• Fear of deportation
• Fear of bringing shame to the extended
  family/clan/community

Source http//www.enpmagazine.com/Magazine/Issue_
Archives/2006/05-05/bridging_the_culture.html
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Barriers

• Lack of familiarity with public services, such
  as 9-1-1
• Cultural belief that events are out of ones
  control
• Refugees Avoidance of preparing for a disaster
  in their safe harbor

Source http//www.enpmagazine.com/Magazine/Issue_
Archives/2006/05-05/bridging_the_culture.html
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Organizational Cultural Competence
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Organizational Cultural Competence

• Language Support
• Translation Services
• Are written materials available in other
• languages?
• Interpreting Services
• Can we communicate with members of
• the community via telephone and in
• person?
• Bilingual Staff
• How do I evaluate staff members language
  proficiency?

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Organizational Cultural Competence

• Establish working relationships with trusted
  organizations, service providers, and cultural
  group leaders and gatekeepers
• Ask community leaders to provide
• insight for how to improve upon
• existing plans.
• Anticipate and identify solutions to cultural
  problems that may arise in the event of a
  disaster.

Source http//mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/publication
s/allpubs/SMA03-3828/sectionone.aspsix
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Organizational Cultural Competence

• Assess community composition
• Identify culture-related needs of the community

Source http//mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/publication
s/allpubs/SMA03-3828/sectionone.aspsix Map
Source Modern Language Association. www.mla.org
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Organizational Cultural Competence

• Communication
• Make sure that the communication channels in
  place are appropriate for reaching all affected
  populations
• Have key messages (e.g. evacuation instructions,
  maps, emergency preparedness guides, etc.)
  translated in advance
• Distribute information to the community through
  appropriate channels

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Individual Cultural Competence
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Considerations When Interacting with People of
Other Cultures
Communication

• Both verbal and nonverbal communication can be
  barriers to providing effective disaster crisis
  counseling when survivors and workers are from
  different cultures.
• Culture influences how people express their
  feelings as well as what feelings are appropriate
  to express in a given situation.

Source Transcultural Nursing Assessment and
Intervention (Giger and Davidhizar, 1999).
http//mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/publications/allpub
s/SMA03-3828/sectiontwo.asp
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Considerations When Interacting with People of
Other Cultures
Personal Space

• A person from one subculture might touch or move
  closer to another as a friendly gesture, whereas
  someone from a different culture might consider
  such behavior invasive.
• Disaster crisis counselors must look for clues
  to a survivors need for space. Such clues may
  include, for example, moving the chair back or
  stepping closer.

Source Transcultural Nursing Assessment and
Intervention (Giger and Davidhizar, 1999).
http//mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/publications/allpub
s/SMA03-3828/sectiontwo.asp
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Considerations When Interacting with People of
Other Cultures
Personal Space
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Considerations When Interacting with People of
Other Cultures
Social Organization

• Beliefs, values, and attitudes are learned and
  reinforced through social organizations, such as
  family, kinships, tribes, and political,
  economic, and religious groups.
• Understanding these influences will enable the
  disaster crisis counselor to more accurately
  assess a survivors reaction to disaster.

Source Transcultural Nursing Assessment and
Intervention (Giger and Davidhizar, 1999).
http//mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/publications/allpub
s/SMA03-3828/sectiontwo.asp
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Considerations When Interacting with People of
Other Cultures
Time

• An understanding of how people from different
  cultures view time can help avoid
  misunderstandings and miscommunication.
• Time perceptions may be altered during a
  disaster. The result may be frustration for both
  parties.

Source Transcultural Nursing Assessment and
Intervention (Giger and Davidhizar, 1999).
http//mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/publications/allpub
s/SMA03-3828/sectiontwo.asp
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Considerations When Interacting with People of
Other Cultures
Environmental Control

• A belief that events occur because of some
  external factor may affect the way in which a
  survivor responds to disaster and the types of
  assistance needed.
• Disaster crisis counselors need to understand
  beliefs related to environmental control because
  such beliefs will affect survivors' behavior.

Source Transcultural Nursing Assessment and
Intervention (Giger and Davidhizar, 1999).
http//mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/publications/allpub
s/SMA03-3828/sectiontwo.asp
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General Intervention Guidelines

• Use open-ended questions to gather more data.
• Open-ended questions cannot be answered with a
  simple yes or no.
• Use audience-centered language.
• When you speak, focus on your audiences values,
  needs, and preferences. Avoid talking from your
  perspective.
• Employ reflective listening.
• Repeating or paraphrasing what you heard allows
  the person you are talking with to clarify or add
  more information if necessary. This technique
  also forces you to really think about what was
  said.
• Be assertive, not aggressive.
• Make your point strongly, without attacking the
  other person of a different opinion.

• Source New York New Jersey Public Health
  Training Center. The Communicate to Make a
  Difference Series.

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General Intervention Guidelines

• Be flexible
• Alter your communication strategies as the
  situation necessitates.
• Recognize and respect differences
• Do not assume the majoritys way is the only way.
  
• Do assume that there is more to a person than
  meets the eye.
• Be honest
• Acknowledge any discomfort, hesitation or concern
  you may have.

• Source New York New Jersey Public Health
  Training Center. The Communicate to Make a
  Difference Series.

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General Intervention Guidelines

• Learn from cultural informants
• Values, family norms, traditions, community
  politics, etc.
• Involve bilingual and bicultural staff.
• Establish rapport. Gain acceptance.

Source http//mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/publication
s/allpubs/SMA03-3828/sectionone.aspsix
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Questions?
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References

• Assuring Cultural Competence in Disaster
  Response. Florida Center for Public Health
  Preparedness. http//www.fcphp.usf.edu/courses/con
  tent/ACC/ACCfinal.pdf
• Developing Cultural Competence in Disaster
  Mental Health ProgramsGuiding Principles and
  Recommendations. USDHHS SAMHSA National Mental
  Health Information Center. http//mentalhealth.sam
  hsa.gov/publications/allpubs/SMA03-3828/sectionone
  .aspsix
• Graves, Darci. Cultural Competence and Risk
  Communication. http//www.state.nj.us/health/er/d
  ocuments/cultural_competence.ppt365,4,Slide4
• Campinha-Bacote, Josepha. Campinha-Bacote Model
  of Cultural Competence. http//www.transculturalca
  re.net/

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References

• New York New Jersey Public Health Training
  Center. The Communicate to Make a Difference
  Series. http//www.nynj-phtc.org/cc/
• Transcultural Nursing Assessment and
  Intervention (Giger and Davidhizar, 1999).
  http//mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/publications/allpub
  s/SMA03-3828/sectiontwo.asp
• Modern Language Association. www.mla.org
• Emergency Number Professional Magazine. May 2006.
  http//www.enpmagazine.com/Magazine/Issue_Archives
  /2006/05-05/bridging_the_culture.html