The world is a diverse population, with people coming from various ethnic and cultural backgrounds. A person’s views, values, and traditions determine their daily needs and practices. So, healthcare providers face certain challenges and restrictions because a patient’s belief may inhibit professionals from providing the most effective care. Therefore, cultural competence is an important idea for healthcare providers to consider when understanding and respecting patients. Balcazar, Suarez-Balcazar, and Taylor-Ritzler (2009) noted in “Cultural competence: Development of a conceptual framework” that cultural competence is difficult to define and measure, but it can be demonstrated by adjusting healthcare practices and interventions in order to …show more content…
Moreover, patients’ attitudes and beliefs towards disability vary from culture to culture, which may affect the response to treatment. So, healthcare providers need to be sensitive and aware of different cultures because the lack of awareness on the many cultural beliefs and values may influence providers to make the wrong judgment. Thus, cultural competence is a significant element in the different fields of healthcare such as rehabilitation to meet with patients’ various needs, especially cultural. As a result, many facilities including rehabilitation are making the effort to educate and train their staff about diversity in order to recognize and avoid behaviors or suggestions that might be offensive to patients. Niemeir, Burnett, and Whittaker (2003) described in “Cultural Competence in the Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation Setting: Are we Falling Short of Meeting Needs?” about a Sudanese man, with a brain injury, who does not understand English and have strict religious practices, so the staff familiarized with the patient’s custom to understand his cultural views and the traditions of his country. Medical providers need to realize that each person has their own values and cultural beliefs. Thus, healthcare providers should modify patients’ care and treatment in regards to the patients’ values because their needs are the main concern of the