and lack insurance coverage, they are less likely to seek medical help, and when they do, the medical care they receive may be of poor quality. It is common for people who lack insurance coverage to utilize emergency rooms as their only source of health care. Consequently, health care is haphazard, and these individuals are less likely to be screened for diseases, less likely to receive preventive care, and more likely to ignore early symptoms of disease (Tanney, 1991).In addition to SES, cultural values, beliefs, and practices may influence individuals’ decisions to seek medical help (Uba, 1992). Uba (1992) reported that Southeast Asian refugees underutilized the American health care system despite the high, disproportionate numbers of health problems, including serious illnesses such as tuberculosis, malnutrition, intestinal parasites, and hepatitis B.Even when individuals seek medical treatment, there may be a lack of compliance or a failure to follow directions. Individuals may expect an instant cure or may mistake diagnostic methods, such as X-rays, for the intervention (Uba, 1992). Poor communication between health providers and patients also compromises medical care for racial/ethnic minorities. Deference to medical professionals, lack of bilingual health care providers, and desire to avoid embarrassment may inhibit people from asking necessary questions. A lack of understanding of different cultures on the part of health care providers and a history of receiving inappropriate advice also may be barriers to seeking help. An understanding of a patient’s culture is just as important for effective health care as is knowledge of physiological and psychological aspects. The caregiver should also be aware of the possible effect of hospitalization on the patient. The sudden change into the hospital culture may create a kind of culture shock that will affect well-being patterning and response to nursing intervention...
