Asian American Cultural Considerations

Asian Americans may say yes, or nod their head in agreement instead of saying “no”. This behavior conveys respect for authority and is also a general technique to avoid conflict. This is known as conflict avoidance, where they may agree to avoid issues with the authority figure.

Members of this culture may speak in a soft tone of voice. Traditional Asian American patients may look shy, passive, and anxious in therapy. However, they will express their opinions when they feel it is safe and appropriate to speak

Asian American males typically make most of the decisions, as they are the dominant gender in this culture.

In the Asian American culture, feet are considered dirty. During an assessment, the nurse should respect this cultural belief by touching or assessing the patient’s feet last.

Hot and cold, also called yin and yang, are important concepts in Asian American culture. Hot and cold do not refer to the temperature of the food being consumed, but rather the level of energy the food provides (cold = low energy, hot = high energy). An imbalance of hot and cold can lead to various ailments and illnesses, depending on where the excess or deficiency lies.

After giving birth, Asian American women may insist on eating various soups, and rice. Traditionally, consuming these foods is believed to restore balance in the body.