Cultural Competency Definitions

CULTURAL COMPETENCY DEFINITIONS – A paper to inform development of Cultural Competency Framework for First Nations and Aboriginal Peoples of British Columbia, Canada
Cultural Definitions in health care – what does it all mean?
There are many definitions and iterations of culture in health care – all with different meanings but many with overlaps. In order to develop a Cultural competency framework, it will be important for stakeholders to agree on what ‘cultural competency’ means and the differences, similarities or connections between this term and others used in different contexts.

Any agency or institution using the terms(s) needs to state their own definitions so it is clear to their own readers, users, students or staff – what they mean when they apply the terms. The mostly commonly used terms associated with cultural competency are:
 Cultural responsiveness
 Cultural appropriateness
 Cultural awareness
 Cultural sensitivity
 Cultural safety
 Cultural competency
Often these terms have been used interchangeably for training purposes – when in fact the training content has sometimes been the same or very similar. The following outlines some definitions used within Canada and other countries for the above terms and suggests a possible model for consideration by the Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport and its’ stakeholders and partners.
Culture

General Definitions of Culture
It is important to define what is meant by culture. Definitions of culture are often confused by using terminology such as ‘race’ and ‘ethnicity’ but a basic definition of culture reveals a far broader understanding. One definition of culture is:

The totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought. These patterns, traits, and products considered as the expression of a particular period, class, community, or population and can be expressed in intellectual and artistic activity and in

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