Ethnicity, Culture & DiversityEthnicity, Culture & Diversity
OurselvesOurselves and other peopleHow it affects us at workBradford’s Asian community
Who are you?Who are you?
Dimensions of diversity, some Dimensions of diversity, some more visible than othersmore visible than others
Gender Age Ethnicity Nationality Language Skin colour Religion
Class (wealth? education? family?
Occupation Sexual orientation Political orientation Disability Culture
Understanding different culturesUnderstanding different cultures
… or stereotyping?
General issues when General issues when language and culture language and culture differ between doctor differ between doctor and patientand patient
Non-verbal communication Use of interpreters Health beliefs Differing agendas of doctor and patient Need more time Practice organisation Need special health promotion materials and methods
Working as a GP with Patients Working as a GP with Patients from Bradford’s Asian from Bradford’s Asian communitycommunity
Useful things to know
Bradford’s Asian communityBradford’s Asian community
Mostly from Mirpur in KashmirMostly MuslimMostly from an unsophisticated rural
community, low educational levelLanguages: Urdu, Punjabi, MirpuriDam built on houses and land in Mirpur -
and Bradford mills needed labour
Most Bradford Asian families Most Bradford Asian families originate from Mirpuroriginate from Mirpur
From World Book © 2001 World Book, Inc., 233 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60601. All rights reserved. Three new states were created in November 2000 but are not shown on this map. World Book map; map data © MapQuest.com, Inc.
From World Book © 2001 World Book, Inc., 233 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60601. All rights reserved. World Book map
A reminder - A reminder - don’t generalise, don’t generalise, don’t stereotype,don’t stereotype,don’t forget importance ofdon’t forget importance of
ClassEducationReligionAge/generation
Asian familiesAsian families
Respect for eldersFamilies more important than individualsDistinct roles for men and womenImportance of mother in lawBig families, desire for sonsTaboo subjects - termination of pregnancy,
STDs, domestic abuseCultural conflict for those born in Britain
Muslim patientsMuslim patients
Don’t drink alcohol - in theoryDon’t take tablets or medicines during
fasting hours in RamadanWomen aren’t allowed to pray when
bleeding
Some medical issuesSome medical issues
Commoner in Asian patients: TB, rickets/osteomalacia, thalassaemia
Hugely increased incidence of diabetes and IHD Not tuned into psychiatric diagnoses (use the
word ‘stress’) Consanguineous marriages: recessive syndromes Seem to be a high degree of medically
unexplained symptoms/somatisation - BUT high morbidity
Patients may be consulting other healers
Some common health beliefs of Some common health beliefs of people from Mirpurpeople from Mirpur‘hot’ and ‘cold’ foodGas in the stomach is bad and can migrate
to the headImportant to be buried with all your organs
inside so you can rise after deathEating oily food is good - not only tasty
but makes you fat (being skinny is a sign of disease)
A reminder - A reminder - don’t generalise, don’t generalise, don’t stereotype,don’t stereotype,don’t forget importance ofdon’t forget importance of
ClassEducationReligionAge/generation
Want to do more?Want to do more?
Your group presentation?Videos on cross cultural consultationsVideo of BBC4 programme about South
Asian doctors who came to the UK