title: Fadiman and beyond--the dangers of extrapolation.
abstract: Cross-cultural patient care is an issue that challenges healthcare providers. Caring for patients who reject some biomedical treatments because of religious or cultural reasons requires knowledge of that person's beliefs for effective treatment. This essay looks at several case studies involving Hmong patients and the way the medical staff reacted to treatment difficulties because of cultural and religious conflicts with surgery. The dangers of universalizing communication methods are stressed.
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Plotnikoff
mesh_terms: D001213:Asian / Q000523:psychology*; D003142:Communication; D003469:Culture; D003657:Decision Making; D005195:Family Relations / Q000208:ethnology*; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D012945:Social Values; D016312:Treatment Refusal; D028761:Withholding Treatment
keywords: Professional Patient Relationship