Culture, diversity, and global health: challenges and opportunities

In an increasingly globalized world, we continue to face dramatic health disparities that impact adversely on Indigenous, migrant and refugee populations as well as other minority ethnic populations in most of the countries of the world. Culture plays an important role in how people experience health and illness, and how they access and experience healthcare. It impacts on the healthcare professionals as well as on their patients and the communities, modifying the healing relationship and presenting both barriers and opportunities for better health outcomes. This chapter will explore some of the key ways in which this happens with a view to highlight the opportunities that they represent. These include issues such as how the aetiology of disease is perceived, health-seeking behaviour, issues of racism, stigma and discrimination, as well as the impacts of stress, coping and resilience. Finally, this chapters presents specific suggestions for improved healthcare systems that are more inclusive and that work towards more equitable health outcomes for culturally diverse communities