J Transcult Nurs. 2017 Jul;28(4):334-341. doi: 10.1177/1043659616682594. Epub 2016 Dec 12.

Cultural Distress: An Emerging Paradigm.

Journal of transcultural nursing : official journal of the Transcultural Nursing Society

Christine DeWilde, Candace W Burton

PMID: 27956480 DOI: 10.1177/1043659616682594

Abstract

Although cultural competence in practice is a common goal within the health care professions, little is known about the consequences of a lack of such competence in health and healing. We propose a novel theoretical framework of cultural distress to describe patient experiences of and reactions to care that does not incorporate attention to cultural needs. Use of the cultural distress model to guide research offers an innovative framework by which researchers may identify potential interventions such that patients never reach a level of cultural distress.

Keywords: allostatic load; cultural competence; culturally congruent care; culture; distress; otherness; patient outcomes; patient-centered care; person-centered care; structural stress

MeSH terms

• Adaptation, Psychological*
• Culturally Competent Care / standards
• Culturally Competent Care / trends
• Humans
• Stress, Psychological / complications
• Stress, Psychological / psychology

Publication Types

• Journal Article
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't