Diversity has a significant influence on health care. Studying transcultural health care helps health professionals understand different cultures in order to provide holistic and individualized health...

Purnell Model for Cultural Competence
The rapid increase in population, if overviewed from a cultural and geographical
perspective, could give us an insight into many areas related to the collective good of
mankind. However, with more advancements and collaborations, we have also put an
extra burden on health care providers and the institutions. At present, these health care
providers are not bound by any specific constraint, that is, they work in transcultural
environments. Laying down the foundations for cultural competence amidst the vivid
cultural diversities, it is important to look into it from the individual and social
perspective. There have been past studies for understanding transcultural healthcare
and several universally accepted methods have also been employed for the same. The
main purpose of these models is to focus upon individual competence so that people
from all health disciplines can benefit. There have been several evidence based
scenario which also take into account the heritage and backgrounds of the cultural and
ethnic groups.
The Purnell Model also focuses upon the relationship between cultural competence and
health outcomes for a culturally diverse population. Cultural competence consists of
several characteristic features like cultural awareness, basic knowledge about health,
fitness and illness. acceptance of vivid cultural differences (Campinha-Bacote,2004),
ideological differences along with considerations of the diverse philosophy involved,
basic cultural ideologies and the concept of individualism and
collectivism. However, profound knowledge about typical stereotypes (Yzerbyt,
Corneille & Estrada,2001) are subject to research and further discussions.
Coming to the Purnell Model, it has been divided into 12 domains that depict cultures
and their concepts. These domains provide the organizational framework of this model.
There are a few pre-requisites that all health care professionals are assumed to know
about. Similar knowledge about cultural diversity, sharing the same concept of family
and society, considering the fact that all the cultures are equal and that they are also
interconnected at their core. The interpretation and response of an individual towards
any cultural transition, for example, if any individual migrates to any other
place(country), he/she brings...