Caring for Patients from Different Cultures (Paperback)

by Geri-Ann Galanti (Author)
Key Phrases: traditional medicine, folk diseases, health care culture, United States, Anglo American, African American (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An excellent book for those interested in providing culturally responsive and effective care to our nation's increasingly diverse population"--Dr. Robert Like, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

"A must-read book for any healthcare professional. . . . It should be in every hospital library."--Caregiver Journal

Product Description

What happens when a Cherokee patient summons a medicine man to the hospital, or when an Anglo nurse refuses to take orders from a Japanese doctor? Why do Asian patients rarely ask for pain medication, while Mediterranean patients seem to seek relief for even the slightest discomfort?

If the goal of the American medical system is to provide optimal care for all patients, healthcare providers must understand cultural differences that create conflicts and misunderstandings and can result in inferior medical care. Geri-Ann Galanti's updated classic, Caring for Patients from Different Cultures, is even more comprehensive than the first three editions, containing new appendices for quick reference, an expanded and updated bibliography with Internet resources, and a detailed index.

Caring for Patients from Different Cultures contains more than 200 case studies illustrating crosscultural misunderstanding and culturally competent health care. The chapters cover a wide range of topics, including birth, end of life, traditional medicine, mental health, pain, religion, and multicultural staff issues. The case studies illustrate important concepts from the fields of cultural diversity and medical anthropology. This volume is an important resource for nurses and physicians in achieving cultural competency.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press; Fourth Edition edition (July 25, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812220315
• ISBN-13: 978-0812220315
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #32,461 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EVERY healthcare professional needs to read this!, February 27, 2000

By	Mairi M. Douglas "orgelmeister" (Galena, Illinois USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Caring for Patients from Different Cultures: Case Studies from American Hospitals (Paperback)

As Director of Nursing for a small, rural county health department, I was looking for cultural information on dealing with Hispanic populations. What this book covers is all of that and more.It was a real eye opener! Ms. Galanti gives case synopses on caring for patients from many diverse cultures.She covers cultural differences with nutrition, religion, family support, response to pain, and a wealth of other topics.I purchased this book for our staff library, and a copy for myself and my nurse-mother. Anyone who deals with people from other cultures(not just health care providers) needs to read this book!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars High School Biology Teacher, January 11, 2002

By	H. Peterson "weekend crafter" (Hattiesburg, Mississippi USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Caring for Patients from Different Cultures: Case Studies from American Hospitals (Paperback)

My students loved the real life situations in this book!
I recommend that teachers use this to incorporate multiculturalism in a very meaningful way in biology classes, and welcome ideas about how others use it. The way I did it was to present the problem, have students brainstorm what they might do, and then reveal the resolution (or lack of one) from the book. I am so glad I found this while browsing the medical section. You are not likely to find a used copy for sale because the stories are so interesting to everyone.

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars APPALLING book ! Full of insulting stereotypes & little insight!, May 14, 2006

By	psychologist and mom (Northeast U.S.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Caring for Patients from Different Cultures (Paperback)

I have a long-standing interest in cultural issues in healthcare and so I eagerly bought this book. It's in the 3rd edition--I figured it must be good.

It is appalling! You can turn to almost any page and find a portayal of a person from a minority culture that is presented in such a way that it makes the person sound like an idiot. Not just immigrant and ethnic minority patients--immigrant medical professionals, too.

In addition, she does not modify her gross generalizations by saying, "HIGHLY OBSERVANT Muslims" or "LESS-ACCULTURATED Mexicans" or even "SOME Chinese." No, for Galanti, she generalizes about Muslims, Mexicans and Chinese, with no gradations according to people's country of origin and degrees of orthodoxy (e.g. Muslims), generations in this country, fluency in English, etc.

I am afraid this volume will perpetuate stereotypes. Yes, it may be "fun reading" for people who know nothing about the topic, but they will end up with a view of "how weird those people are!" rather than either any true cultural understanding or a better sense of how to adapt their own practice to meet their patients' needs.

i have never returned a book in my life--this is going to be the first.

For alternative choices on related topics consider:
Culture & Clinical Care (Lipson & Dibble)
Ethnicity & Family THerapy (McGoldrick)
Child Abuse & Culture: Working with diverse families (Fontes)
The spirit Catches You and YOu Fall Down (Fadiman).

Stay away from this one!