This study focuses on the research question of how health providers approach treatment of culturally diverse infertile clients. Findings from in-depth interviews of 28 health providers in a major city in Southern California revealed three types of providers: (1) culturally unaware, (2) culturally nontolerant, and 3) culturally sensitive. Culturally unaware providers failed to recognize different cultural needs and treated all clients in the same way, an approach that eventually led to noncompliance. Culturally nontolerant providers recognized diverse needs, but they were unwilling to tolerate cultural conflicts in treatment or to change treatment protocols. This often resulted in providers terminating treatment or making referrals to a more culturally tolerant provider. Culturally sensitive providers acquired information on cultural beliefs, worked within clients' limitations, and adapted tests and treatment protocols to meet clients' needs. These findings may offer insights into care and treatment approaches used by health providers in a highly technological, specialist-level treatment of culturally diverse clients in an urban setting. This research was supported by a SDSU Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity Grant Award.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Blenner, J. L. (1990). Passage through infertility: A stage theory. Image: Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 22(3),153-158.
2.
Blenner, J. L. (1990b). Couples perceptions of infertility assessment and treatment. Unpublished research study funded by Sigma Theta Tau International.
3.
Clark, A. L. (1978). Culture childbearing health professionals. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company.
4.
Glaser, B. G. (1978). Theoretical sensitivity: Advances in the methodology of grounded theory. Mill Valley, CA: Sociology Press.
5.
Harkness, C. (1987). The infertility book. San Francisco, CA: Volcano Press.
6.
Leininger M. (1978). Transcultural nursing: Concepts, theories and practices. New York:John Wiley and Sons.
7.
Leininger, M. (1985). Transcultural care diversity and universality: A theory of nursing. Nursing and health care, 6(4), 209-212.
8.
Leininger, M. (1990). Ethnomethods: The philosophical and epistemic bases to explicate transcultural nursing knowledge. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 1(2), 40-51.
9.
Lincoln, Y. , & Guba, E. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Beverly Hills, CA: SAGE Publications.
10.
MacGregor, F. C. (1976). Uncooperative patients: Some cultural interpretations. In P. Brink (Ed.), Transcultural nursing: A book of readings. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
11.
Mazor, M. D. & Simons, H. F. (1984) Infertility: Medical, emotional and social considerations. New York: Human Sciences Press.
12.
Meleis, A. & Sorrell, L. (1981). Arab-American women and their birth experiences, Maternal and Child Nursing, 6, 171-176.
13.
Menning, B. E. (1977). Infertility: A guide for the childless couple. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
14.
Menning, B. E. (1980). Emotional needs of infertile couples. Fertility and Sterility, 34, 313-319.
15.
Office of Technology Assessment (1988). Infertility: Medical and Social Choices (OTA report brief). Washington DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
16.
Raphael, D. (1976). Matrescence, becoming a mother, a new/old rite de passage. In F. X. Grollig, & H. B. Haley (Eds.). Medical anthropology. Paris: Moutan Publishers.
17.
Spector, R. E. (1985). Cultural diversity in health and illness (2nd ed.). Norwalk, CT: Appleton-Century-Crofts.
18.
Wood, C. S. (1979). Human sickness and health. Palo Alto, CA: Mayfield Publishing Co.
