Cultural Competence in Taiwan Health Care and Society: Rationale for and State of the Science

Abstract

Taiwan is a multicultural and multiethnic society. In addition to its Han Chinese heritage, many cultures and societies influence Taiwanese. As Taiwan's immigrant population continues to grow, the need for culturally competent health care providers capable of addressing the needs of its diverse ethnic, racial, and multicultural society is becoming more evident. Many Western societies have adopted culturally competent research, education, and clinical practices; however, cultural competence remains a new concept in Taiwan. Little information is available on the cultural competency of the health care providers in Taiwan and particularly nurses who provide direct care to patients. In this paper, justification for and the current knowledge about cultural competence in Taiwan's heath care system are presented. Insights into Taiwanese health care providers' cultural competence might provide guidance for future implementations of cultural competence in-service trainings or integration into designing nursing curricula to improve patient outcomes and health care quality.