Fostering Cultural Sensitivity in Rural Areas: How to Build Cultural Competence

Promoting cultural sensitivity in rural communities creates an environment of acceptance, understanding, and most importantly inclusion. Cultural sensitivity helps break down the stigmas and misconceptions around various cultures, which dismantles false stereotypes and contributes to a stigma-free world. In this article, you’ll learn what cultural sensitivity is, how to practice it, and why it’s particularly important for rural residents.

Table of Contents

● What Is Cultural Sensitivity?
● Examples of Cultural Sensitivity
● Cultural Sensitivity vs. Cultural Competence
● Cultural Humility

What Is Cultural Sensitivity?

Cultural sensitivity is a non-judgemental awareness of the beliefs and practices held by those who have a different cultural background from you. It means that you are willing to learn about cultures you’re unfamiliar with, without viewing them as “better” or “worse” than your own customs or traditions.

Fostering cultural sensitivity is especially helpful in rural communities because there are sometimes social structures and traditions that are ingrained in residents’ everyday life. For example, according to an article published in the National Academies Press, some rural areas in the U.S. have a culture where independence, traditional beliefs, and self-reliance are prevalent. When someone from a different culture tries to assimilate into a new area where people have strongly held beliefs, it can be difficult to adjust – especially in a tight-knit rural community.

Cultural sensitivity can also help us understand and become aware of widely accepted stigmas that we may not even know about. In the case of mental health stigma, negative beliefs that may be common in some cultures can contribute to discrimination against people who are living with a mental illness. Their ideas about mental health may be different from someone who was not raised with these beliefs, or whose culture doesn’t promote them. When we are educated about stigmas of all kinds and why they are perpetuated, we are better equipped to combat them.

Examples of Cultural Sensitivity

Collaborating with people of diverse cultural backgrounds in your rural community to host events is an easy first step to encouraging cultural sensitivity. Providing a space where everyone can come together and learn about each other’s beliefs facilitates an inclusive environment, and planning events provides the perfect opportunity for this connection. Making community activities more accessible is another way to encourage an open-minded attitude in your area. This could mean translating materials into other languages or offering an ESL (English as a Second Language) program to help members of your community feel welcome and accepted. Planning events in different areas – especially locations where residents aren’t as involved in the community – can provide opportunities to create a more inclusive culture.

On an individual level, you can become more familiar with the beliefs of people in your area who have a different cultural background than yourself. Overall, the goal is to reduce barriers related to culture such as language, or other factors that hinder people from becoming active participants in your community.

Building cultural sensitivity is a win-win: not only does it fight stigma and encourage inclusivity, but it also helps create more opportunities for residents. According to Leigh Neys, Community Vitality Field Specialist at South Dakota State University, creating a diverse and welcoming environment for people of all cultural backgrounds attracts more people to your community, which helps local businesses thrive and leads to economic growth.

Cultural Sensitivity vs. Cultural Competence

While cultural sensitivity refers to your mindset, cultural competence is the ability to turn thought into action. Think of cultural competency as cultural sensitivity in practice: someone who is culturally competent can adapt their behaviour to effectively communicate with people of various cultures. This is especially important in the context of mental healthcare. For example, a psychologist who has only lived and practiced in rural Manitoba may not have much experience working with patients from other areas of the world.

If they practice cultural competence, they will be able to acknowledge differences in their clients’ practices or beliefs concerning mental health that vary based on culture. If they take the time to learn about each patient’s culture and how it affects their ideas around mental wellness, they’ll be able to provide them with more informed and higher-quality care. On the other hand, if they don’t develop cultural competency, they may not consider these factors while developing a treatment plan. We can apply the concept of cultural competency to all facets of life, from mental healthcare to the workplace and the way we interact with members of our community.

Cultural Humility

Cultural humility is a key component of cultural sensitivity. It involves reflecting on your beliefs about cultures other than your own, being open to learning, and advocating for others. In a rural context, this can include reflecting on the cultural norms in your community. Perhaps you notice dissimilarities in certain areas of life, from personal values to agricultural practices, that are due to culture. If someone has a different approach due to their culture, instead of viewing it as “wrong,” we can view it as an opportunity to learn.

More Resources for Rural Mental Wellness

Stigma-Free Society is committed to providing resources that help create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all members of your rural community, regardless of culture, age, gender identity, or religion. Take a look at our resources to learn more tips on how you can support others in your community and take care of your own wellbeing!