QUALITY-OF-LIFE FROM A TRANSCULTURAL NURSING PERSPECTIVE

The author presents research findings derived from Leininger's theory of culture care diversity and universality bearing upon quality of lif e. She holds that since quality of life is culturally constituted and patterned, it needs to be studied and understood from a transcultural nursing perspective in order to advance nursing as a discipline and pr ofession. Five major cultures are presented to illustrate culturally c onstituted dominant care patterns related to quality of life. These co mparative data reflect more diversity than universality among the cult ures. The author encourages nurse researchers to move beyond present-d ay overemphasis on individualism and to discover dominant transcultura l care values and patterns of emic and etic knowledge focused on quali ty of life, health, and well-being.