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Race And Ethnicity Research Paper

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Ethnic/Cultural Group People are usually categorized in terms of race and/or ethnicity. Race is a term typically used to classify people according to similar and specific physical characteristics. Ethnicity is a term more broadly used that connects people according to an inherited status such as: a shared ancestry, language, history, religion, cuisine, art, clothing style, and/or physical appearance, etc. India is a country located in South Asia bordered by the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, and Bangladesh. Since India is located in the southern part of Asia, they racially can identify as Asian; however, Asia as a whole consists of a wide variety of ethnicities. The U.S. Census Bureau …show more content…

Their social structure is built on a caste system or social stratification where people are categorized based on their socioeconomic status. There is an upper, middle, and lower class which are all subdivided into stratum. Gender also plays a part in social order and role expectations. The caste system can even go as far as interfering with the healthcare system. Those of lower socioeconomic status and/or women have the most difficulty getting their health needs met. India still has an ongoing issue of healthcare inequality. The National Center for Biotechnology Information says, “…there are marked variations in general hospitalization rates by gender, wealth, and urban-rural residence. Some of this variation may be due to differences in actual and perceived need and health seeking behavior; indeed, there is evidence of gender inequalities in untreated morbidity with the likely underreporting of illness among women.” There is low government spending, lack of insurance, and most bills are paid out-of-pocket. India has top quality healthcare facilities located in the cities, but with lack of transportation, people living in rural areas are unable to gain access.
Cultural Competence Assessment Communication is the leading factor in heath care errors (book). (Treas & Wilkinson Book p463) defines communication as “a dynamic, reciprocal process of sending and receiving messages. The messages may be verbal, non-verbal, …show more content…

Those of Asian Indian heritage tended to smell heavily of curry or the food they ate. Also, many of the women did not shave their armpits or legs. Many cultures around the world do not place as much emphasis on vanity as Westerners do, so these stereotypes can easily be made. One of the doctors was from India as well but he was neither smelly, dirty, or sloppy. He did advise many of his Indian patients the importance of eating a better diet, stating that obesity was becoming a problem in their culture. One stereotype that I tended to make was that Asians have two left feet and could not walk on a treadmill. For some reason or another, it seemed to be a trend. Although it wasn’t the case for all, it seemed to be the majority. Before doing this study, I’m sure I could have easily mistaken some East Indians as Chinese. Going from Wheeling, WV to working in a multicultural city was an awesome experience! Not only did I learn a lot professionally, but I also learned a lot personally. It was very interesting to meet people of so many different backgrounds with so many different languages, beliefs, and characteristics.
Behavior Modification Effective communication is important in providing safe health care. Miscommunication can lead to many errors, which can inadvertently affect compliance, accurate diagnosis, and health promotion. There are a variety of translation services offered in the United States; however,

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