Cross-Cultural Communications

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering key terms from the cross-cultural communications notes.

Cross-cultural communication

The exchange of information across cultural differences; in healthcare, it shapes interpretation, communication, and care to promote inclusive, equitable outcomes.

Culture

The shared beliefs, values, language, norms, and behaviors of a group that influence health beliefs and practices.

Cultural humility

Recognizing you don’t know everything about a patient’s culture and being willing to learn from them while aware of your own cultural embeddedness.

High-context culture

A communication style where meaning is conveyed through context, tone, and nonverbal cues rather than explicit words (e.g., Japanese, Chinese, Arab, Latin American, Italian).

Low-context culture

A communication style where messages are direct, explicit, and written to avoid ambiguity (e.g., United States, Germany, Sweden, Australia, Netherlands).

Implicit cultures (high-context)

Cultures that rely on underlying meaning and tone; messages are nuanced and not fully stated in writing.

Explicit cultures (low-context)

Cultures that expect direct, explicit communication; what is said is what is meant and communication is often written.

Ethnocentrism

Belief that one’s own culture is superior to others, often leading to bias and misunderstanding.

Stereotyping

Attributing broad, generalized traits to a group and overlooking variation within the group.

Bias

A tendency or prejudice toward or against a group; can be conscious (explicit) or unconscious (implicit).

Conscious bias

Explicit bias; a deliberate preference or prejudice.

Unconscious bias

Implicit bias; automatic, often hidden judgments formed by the brain to categorize people and situations.

Awareness

Recognition of one’s own biases and a commitment to managing them.

Platinum Rule

Treat others as THEY want to be treated, not how you would want to be treated, to promote inclusion.

LEARN

L: Listen with empathy; E: Explain your perceptions; A: Acknowledge differences; R: Recommend care; N: Negotiate agreement with the patient.

4 C’s model

Call, Cause, Cope, Concerns; a framework to understand a patient’s cultural or personal perspective.

Language barrier

Difficulty in communication due to language differences; can affect symptom description, consent, and understanding; interpreters are essential.

Interpreter

Qualified person who translates spoken language in healthcare; preferred over family members to avoid loss or alteration of information.

Case study: Language barrier (Mrs. R.)

An example where relying on a bilingual son led to miscommunication and delayed care, illustrating the need for proper language access.

Diversity statistics (US)

US racial/ethnic diversity data (e.g., White 57.8%, Hispanic/Latino 18.7%, Black 12.4%, Asian 5.9%, Multiracial 2.3%, American Indian/Alaska Native 0.7%, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander 0.2%), with 33.8 million reporting more than one race in 2020.