Problem: Strategies for effective communication vary across cultures
The meanings of specific, socially relevant behaviors and perceptions can vary in important ways across cultures. To take just a few examples, making eye contact with someone, or a prolonged silence during a conversation, or someone saying "yes" - or even what it means for something to be "closer" in time - all can have different meanings across different cultures.
For this assignment, you will (1) read literature that situates socially relevant behavior or perceptions in distinct cultural contexts, and (2) reflect on how an understanding of the culturally dependent meaning of behavior could contribute to effective interaction with culturally diverse groups, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Read the information sheet and article below and write a brief essay (300 words) addressing the following:
Imagine that a white medical doctor is seeing an Aboriginal cancer patient from a rural Aboriginal community for the first time. The doctor sits in a treatment room with the patient, and carefully reads the patient's medical history from a computer screen while telling the patient the name of the medication they're prescribing and instructing the patient to take the medication "until finished". The doctor asks the patient if they've understood, to which the patient replies, "Yes." According to the information sheet and article, in what ways might this communication be inadequate? Need Assignment Help?
Information sheet:
Cultural Capability Team. (2015). Communicating effectively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Capability. Queensland Health, Queensland Government.
Article:
Shahid, S., Finn, L. D., & Thompson, S. C. (2009). Barriers to participation of Aboriginal people in cancer care: Communication in the hospital setting. Medical Journal of Australia, 190, 574-579.
Here are some questions that you might find helpful when preparing your submissions.
Concept 1: Building rapport
When the patient is in the room with the doctor, the doctor pays a great deal of attention to the patient's medical history shown on the computer screen. Why might not this work well with an Aboriginal cancer patient from a rural Aboriginal community that the doctor is seeing for the first time? What are alternative behaviors that the doctor might engage that could result in more effective communication?
Concept 2: "Until finished"
The doctor instructs the patient to take the medication "until finished". How might this be inadequate communication, and what is a better way to communicate these instructions? Suggest specific behaviors that the doctor could engage in to improve communication.
Concept 3: The meaning of "Yes"
After providing the instructions to the patient, the doctor asks the patient if they've understood. The patient replies, "Yes." How might this approach by the doctor be inadequate for effective communication, and what would be a better way for the doctor to assess whether the patient has understood the instructions? Suggest specific behaviors that the doctor could engage in to improve communication.
Make sure your submission is based on the content in the information sheet and article.