Eighth International Conference on Health, Wellness & Society

Abstract

While cultural competence is a popular topic in the healthcare literature and numerous practical models of culturally competent healthcare have been developed, there has been little discussion of the fundamental moral nature of the concept of cultural competence in healthcare. Specifically, the obligatory nature of this moral concept is a gray area in the literature that most practical models of culturally competent healthcare either implicitly assume or simply don’t address. This paper argues that cultural competence is a distinct moral obligation of healthcare providers, especially providers who regularly deal with patients in cross-cultural contexts, and it should be perceived in the same light as other, more fundamental moral principles of medical ethics, such as the principle of non-maleficence that obligates physicians to “do no harm.” By illuminating how cultural competence is a moral obligation of healthcare providers, this argument gives further justification to the many differing practical models of culturally competent healthcare, and it provides significant moral and practical motivations for healthcare providers to better their understanding of the relationship between culture and medicine. Hypothesis: Healthcare providers have a distinct moral obligation to be culturally competent that is on par with other, more fundamental moral principles of medical ethics. Relationship: While there are numerous practical models of culturally competent healthcare, the obligatory nature of this concept is rarely fleshed out or defended in the literature. Contribution: Developing a sound logical argument that likens cultural competence to the more fundamental moral principles of medicine gives further justification to practical models of culturally competent healthcare and heightens the need of healthcare providers to better their understanding of the relationship between culture and medicine and how it affects the quality of their care in cross-cultural contexts.