Health Care Providers' Treatment Approaches to Culturally Diverse Infertile Clients

Abstract

This study focuses on the research question of how health providers approach treatment of culturally diverse infertile clients. Findings from in-depth interviews of 28 health providers in a major city in Southern California revealed three types of providers: (1) culturally unaware, (2) culturally nontolerant, and 3) culturally sensitive. Culturally unaware providers failed to recognize different cultural needs and treated all clients in the same way, an approach that eventually led to noncompliance. Culturally nontolerant providers recognized diverse needs, but they were unwilling to tolerate cultural conflicts in treatment or to change treatment protocols. This often resulted in providers terminating treatment or making referrals to a more culturally tolerant provider. Culturally sensitive providers acquired information on cultural beliefs, worked within clients' limitations, and adapted tests and treatment protocols to meet clients' needs. These findings may offer insights into care and treatment approaches used by health providers in a highly technological, specialist-level treatment of culturally diverse clients in an urban setting. This research was supported by a SDSU Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity Grant Award.