Adapting health-care profesionnals’ training to develop an intercultural competence : a way to enhance social cohesion through considering cultural differences in health insitutions

Abstract

This article puts forward a reflection on the relevance of the implementation of a specific training course to raise health workers’ awareness regarding cultural difference and its issues. It is base on several authors’ previous works on intercultural cultural mediation and on intercultural competence to define it more precisely. Based on this reflection, this article intends to show which understanding and comprehension difficulties are caused by cultural difference in health care with foreign patients as well as with foreign professionals. Finally, it offers a reflection on the practical modalities implied by the implementation of specific training courses dedicated to developing intercultural awareness.