Cultural Competency - Multicultural Health Generalizations: Korean
Korean-Americans
- Korean-American Health Beliefs and Practices
- Koreans in the United States
- An Introduction to Korean Culture
Korean Norms about Meeting/Greeting
- When understanding Korean norms about meeting/greeting, you may want to consider the following:
- Sustained direct eye contact should not necessarily be expected.
- When first meeting, a patient may frequently look at you when you are not looking to become more comfortable.
- Handshakes are appropriate between men.
- Women do not shake hands.
- Respect is shown to authority figures by giving a gentle bow.
Please also keep in mind that cultural differences are based on age, ethnic group, generation, migration wave, and length of time away from Korea.
Source: Culture clues: Communicating with your Korean patient. (Online). University of Washington Medical Center. http://depts.washington.edu/pfes/pdf/KoreanCultureClue04_05.pdf
(2005, Feb. 24)
The Korean-American Patient-Provider Relationship
The following are some of the cultural health beliefs and communication practices that might be present in the Korean-American culture:
- Korean-Americans show respect for those in senior positions by not looking at them directly in the eye.
- Korean-Americans are often times comfortable with silence, according to Confucius' belief that "silence is gold." Therefore, small talk could appear senseless and insincere.
- In the Korean culture, the physician's social role can be extremely powerful. Families trust the physician and do not question other options.
- The sharing of thoughts, feelings, and ideas is very much based on age, gender, and status in Korean society. The Korean-American community might value age over youth, men over women, and the group over the individual.
- In general, no restrictions exist that prevent healthcare providers from delivering care to the opposite gender. However, female physicians might be preferred for gynecologic and obstetric problems since some women feel more comfortable discussing these issues with a female physician.
Source: Purnell, L. D., and Paulanka, B. J. (1998). Transcultural health care: A culturally competent approach. Philadelphia: F. A. Davis Company.
