Article Summary: Cultural Meanings of Death and Dying (Essay Sample)

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Cultural Meanings of Death and Dying
Issues like terminal illness and dying cause patients and their families to grief and it is vital to support such families and patients. However, the practitioners may find it uncomfortable to offer any support due to differences. One of the most significant barriers is the cultural difference which raises a lot of personal disparities regarding the issue of mortality. The paper gives a summary of the research findings regarding the cultural meanings of death and dying in the various cultural groups in the United States. Some of these cultural groups include the Asian Americans, the African Americans, the Native Americans and the Hispanics
Culture can be defined as the approved belief, attitudes and behaviors within a group, which are transmitted from one generation to the other. Cultural values vastly impact death and dying decisions. In the case of any differences between the patient and the practitioner’s cultural systems, then there are high chances of cross-cultural miscommunication. Such differences result to dissatisfaction among the patients leading to premature termination of treatment (Flanagan 3).
The demographics in the United States are dynamic, and the role of multiculturalism is diverse. Different individuals perceive death rituals and decision differently thus the need for a common understanding. The western cultures, for instance, permit honesty when conveying death messages, which may appear insensitive in other cultures. The service providers should, therefore, be ready to embrace cultural diversity when handling the patients. It is expected that the practitioners consider the cult...