ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER CULTURAL-VALUES - CONSIDERATIONS FOR HEALTH-CARE DECISION-MAKING

As the United States becomes more ethnically diverse, health care prac titioners must learn about the perspectives and values of a variety of cultural groups. Of interest is how these cultural values intersect w ith those of the dominant culture, especially in the health care arena . This article explores the values that influence decision making amon g Asian and Pacific Islander cultures, with specific illustrations fro m six of these cultures. The literature, along with our observations a s health professionals and researchers working in Hawaii, suggest pote ntial areas of conflict between the more collectivist values of Asian and Pacific Islander cultures and the more individualist orientation o f the U.S. health care system. Implications for practice and research are presented.