Effect Of Diversity And Learning Style On Health Promotion And Disease Prevention Research Paper Example

Abstract

The educational programs used for promotion of health and prevention of illness should represent the diversity of the patient population and build on patients’ health beliefs, preferred learning styles, lifestyle and socioeconomic preferences. Nurses need to be aware of and sensitive to the cultural beliefs and patients view of health and illness.
Nurses who carry out health promotion and illness prevention-based education have to keep in mind the various factors that affect patients’ adherence to the these guidelines. Cultural blindness can occur when nurses fail to recognize the beliefs and practices behind learning styles of patients and teaching style of nurses (Tripp-Reimer, Choi, Kelley & Enslein, 2001). As a nurse I might have the best intentions; however, if I do not have adequate understanding of how my clients learn and what their beliefs are, then I am bound to make mistakes and compromise my ability to provide proper education and care. Language barriers and patients’ education and reading level can also lead to miscommunication and poorer client understanding of disease prevention. All of this can result in decreased patient satisfaction and understanding of seriousness of disease, less recollection of information, and early termination of care.
Successful intercultural patient education programs represent and build on patients’ health beliefs, preferred learning styles, lifestyle and socioeconomic preferences. Realizing what specific information the patient will be able to comprehend, and how, is critical to delivering adequate illness prevention education.
For example, making long-term changes to food intake is particularly difficult for patients with diabetes. This is especially true for low income patients who cannot afford healthy food and demonstrate a lack of knowledge of measuring food. As a nurse educator providing nutritional counseling I will provide a list of inexpensive healthy foods, interpretation of food labels and typical units of food measurement. I will try to provide educational material appropriate to the patient’s literacy level. Furthermore, while consulting with my patient I will demonstrate respect and will choose a method of interaction based on my understanding of the patient’s inclination and manner.

References

Tripp-Reimer, T., Choi, E., Kelley, L. S., & Enslein, J. C. (2001). Cultural barrier to care: Inverting the problem. Diabetes Spectrum, 14(1), 13-22.