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Myths can be defined as false beliefs or misconceptions that stem from personal experience or misinformation and diverge from the established evidence base. There are several myths pertaining to clinical care, part of which are associated with misconceptions about cultural diversity and cultural competence in health care. One such myth is the myth of sameness, according to which for patients to receive the best care, they should turn to healthcare professionals of the same cultural background (Srivastava, 2007). The process of matching the healthcare providers and patients of the same cultural background is called ethnic matching (Srivastava, 2007). The proponents of ethnical matching argue that this approach to care eliminates miscommunication and misdiagnosis due to the shared language and life experiences (Srivastava, 2007). Yet, despite these arguments, the myth of sameness appears to be false. According to Kirmayer and Jarvis (2019), ethnic matching does not guarantee similarity and mutual understanding between patients and healthcare providers and can even lead to ethnic segregation within the healthcare system. Therefore, ethnic matching does not seem to be a viable option for addressing cultural diversity in healthcare.
Another myth is concerned with viewing cultural differences as a problem in the healthcare system. Srivastava (2007) argues that cultural diversity is often viewed negatively because it often results in problems, such as misdiagnosis, miscommunication, and inappropriate care. From this authors point of view, the problem is not in patients cultural differences but in healthcare providers unpreparedness to respond to these differences (Srivastava, 2007). However, it seems that Srivastavas argument does not debunk this myth; on the contrary, it proves that cultural differences are indeed a challenge for healthcare providers. Cultural diversity forces healthcare professionals to search for the best strategies to provide ethnic minority patients with culturally-adjusted care.
The third myth to be discussed is that familiarity is the same as competence. Srivastava (2007) explains this myth as healthcare professionals confidence in their knowledge of cultural differences based solely on the presence of ethnic minority patients in their practice. This myth is false because cultural competence is far more than simple familiarity with different cultures. It requires the deliberate development of cultural awareness, skills, and knowledge, and eventually leads to changes in behavior (Brach et al., 2019). Thus, a culturally competent healthcare professional does not simply know about different cultures but can also provide culturally-tailored healthcare.
References
Brach, C., Hall, K. K., & Fitall, E. (2019). Cultural competence and patient safety. Patient Safety Network. Web.
Kirmayer, L. J., & Jarvis, G. E. (2019). Culturally responsive services as a path to equity in mental healthcare. Healthcare Papers, 18(2), 11-23.
Srivastava, R. H. (2007). The healthcare professionals guide to clinical cultural competence. Elsevier Canada.
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