Conversations in Cultural Competency

How culture affects mental health

Culture impacts every mental health patient—and every mental health practitioner. Culture is a key factor that we all bring to every interaction, and it can be especially influential in times of emotional distress. Culture, including beliefs, values, norms, and behaviors, affects how we experience and interpret the world, including the meaning we impart to mental illness. In a clinical setting, cultural meanings of mental illness can account for whether and how a patient:

Massachusetts General Hospital improved patient experience—learn how you can too

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) is one of the nation's top medical institutions and a leader in the practice and research of medicine. It was established a community hospital charged with serving the medical needs of Boston's diverse population. Over 200 years later, people travel from all over the world to seek medical care at MGH, and serving diversity is still central to its mission.

Managing cultural differences in healthcare

Culture is a complex concept. It includes people’s beliefs, values, behaviors, and ways of understanding their world. In medicine, managing cultural differences—including customs—is essential to providing high-quality health care. One challenge is that patients may not realize they have customs that could jeopardize their wellness. Culture is largely invisible to people who share it. But to outsiders, the customs and ways of life of different cultures are often obvious—and sometimes strange. Here's an example from my own experience: