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Educare

Educare

ABRIL 2004 N° 4 Volumen 2

Contribution of intercultural communications to healthcare

Section: TEACHING TO LEARN

Authors

Carmen Padró Cabello

Position

Doctora en Filología Románica. Especialista en Comunicación Intercultural. Profesora asociada en la Escuela de Enfermería de la Universidad Rovira i Virgili.

Contact address

C/ Beethoven, 115. 43007 Tarragona.

Contact email: carme@tinet.fut.es

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to analyse how intercultural communication is organised into different elements. These are the elements that make communication different from one culture to another, and are thus reflected in the way patients and their families from other cultures feel, think, and present themselves. To understand how the perception guided by our own values, beliefs, codes and vision of the world affects us is to understand why different people understand reality in different ways. In accordance to this, differences in verbal processes that are not only reflected in the language, but also in verbal communication styles and in the structure of ideas, are the key to understand that difficulties brought about by verbal communication go beyond the lack of knowledge of the foreign language. Even more surprising is to analyse the effect of non-verbal processes. Cultural differences related to the concept of time, with the organisation of space, with the recognition and the expression of emotions, with the impact of silences, the tone and intensity of speech, etc. have a much greater impact on the communication process than merely verbal aspects.

Finally, the context, as in perception, helps us select the information we receive. The selection and evaluation also obeys, although not exclusively, to important cultural differences. Determining what these elements are can help us to understand the complexity involved in communicating and interrelating, both at a personal and at a professional level with other people who think, feel and live within parameters that are quite different to those we are used to. We, healthcare professionals, need information and training in order to overcome the challenges posed by diversity.

Keywords:

intercultural communication; perception; values; beliefs; vision of the world; language; verbal communication styles; no verbal communication stylesspace

Versión en Español

Título:

Aportaciones de la comunicación intercultural en el ámbito de la salud