Dept of Health Library: Department of Health Library: Cultural awareness

A Note on Subject Terminology

In Australia the term "cultural awareness" is used with futher concepts defined as "cultural safety", "cultural respect", "cultural competence" and "culturally sensitive".
In the US & UK the term is "transcultural" as in "transcultural nursing" and "transcultural care"
A useful acronym is "CaLD" - Culturally and Linguistically Diverse

A health system that is culturally competent:

acknowledges the benefits that diversity brings to Australian society
helps health providers and consumers to achieve the best, most appropriate care and services
enables self-determination and ensures a commitment to reciprocity for culturally and linguistically diverse consumers and their communities
holds governments, health organisations and managers accountable for meeting the needs of all members of the communities they serve.

The National Health and Medical Research Council have produced Cultural Competency in Health: A guide for policy, partnerships and participation (external site) to help policy makers and managers implement culturally competent policy and planning at all levels of the health system.

For further information see also WA Department of Health Cultural Competency (external website)

WA Health Aboriginal Cultural Learning Framework
This document outlines the joint learning partnerships that WA Health is continuing to develop that will build the capacity of the system to respond to the needs of the Aboriginal communities in Western Australia. (2012)
Cultural Competency in the Delivery of Health Services for Indigenous People
Issues paper no. 13 produced for the Closing the Gap Clearinghouse (2015)
Cultural Competence : web sites for health care providers and educators