As North America’s ethnic populations increase, health care and social service workers are recognizing that in order to provide culturally sensitive and effective treatment programs they must be more aware of the particular needs of their ethnic patients. This newly revised edition of Cross-Cultural Caring: A Handbook for Health Professionals describes Vietnamese, Cambodian and Laotian, Chinese, Japanese, Iranian, South Asian, and Central American ethno-cultural groups. It stresses the need to understand both the cultural beliefs and the daily life concerns facing immigrants, such as work, income, child-rearing, and aging, all of which impinge on health.

Reflecting the questions health professionals most often ask about immigrant groups, each chapter describes one ethno-cultural community, discussing such issues as childbirth, mental illness, dental care, hospitalization, and death, as well as home country culture, common reasons for emigrating, and challenges in adjusting to a new culture.

This new edition provides up-to-date statistics and fresh analysis, responding to changing trends in immigration. Additional material includes a new chapter addressing the special circumstances of refugees; short real-life stories of immigrants’ and refugees’ experiences; and a thorough, easy-to-use index.