Recognizing Culture & Diversity in Occupational
Therapy Practice
Becky Jenkins, MS, OTR/L
It is the mark of the cultured man that he is aware of the fact that equality is an ethical and not a biological principle”
--------Ashley Montagu
What is culture to you?Do you think about it?Do others think about it?
“The nature of human nature is a culturally constructed entity, invisible to us, because we are immersed in it.” ---Unknown
Culture by Definition• Learned, shared experiences that
provide the individual and the group with effective mechanisms for interacting with others and the environment
• Examples?– Values– Attitudes– Morals– Customs– Traditions– Language– Food– Religion– Socioeconomic status– Sexual orientation
Let’s Look at Culture Terms
• Belief– something held to be true or
actual
• Values– regarded as desirable, worthy,
right, ideal
• Morals– conduct or character from the
point of view of right and wrong
Where Do Our Beliefs Come From?
Communities
Economics
History
Politics
Religion
Friends
Mass Media
Families
Cultural
Beliefs
Changing Cultures
Interaction with Other People
Societal ValuesRevision of Culture
Culture
Words We Use When
Discussing Culture
Race
• One of the major subdivisions of man
• Regarded as having a common origin and exhibiting a relatively constant set of physical traits
• Is not the same as culture, historical experience, or privilege
• Race can shape culture• Great variation within and
between races
Ethnicity
“An ethnic group is a human population whose members identify with each other, usually on the basis of a presumed common genealogy or ancestry. Ethnic groups are also usually united by common cultural, behavioural, linguistic, or religious practices. In this sense, an ethnic group is also a cultural community” ----Wikipedia, November 27, 2006
• Myths– unfounded or poorly founded
beliefs that are given uncritical acceptance by members of a group
• Stereotypes– mental pictures based on myths
that lead people to associate a characteristic with particular groups of people
• Generalization– to apply a concept broadly; avoids
details and specifics
• Are generalizations always negative?
• Are they all accurate?
• Xenophobia– unreasonable fear or hatred of
those different from ourselves
Are these things learned or inherent in our nature?
The Role of the OTA--Ethics
• OT Code of Ethics– We are responsible for providing
services without regard to race, creed, national origin, sex, age, handicap, disease entity, social status, or religious affiliation.
How Does Culture Affect our Clients?
• Self esteem/self-worth• Access to medical care, job
choices, leisure and activity resources
• Rights and opportunities/privileges• Interactions with others• Resources • Health• Discrimination• Personal view of potential
The Role of the OTA
• Be self aware • Look beyond knowledge base• Collaborate with goal setting• Individualize treatment• Base assessments on the
patient’s culture, not yours• Provide access to all services• Improve equity, fairness, and
appropriateness of treatment
• Listen to client’s view of life• Understand the social
restraints• Understand politics of
healthcare• Understand the
reimbursement system• Expose yourself to different
cultures