Spirituality in Western Multicultural Societies

This chapter considers what the connection between culture and spirituality means for people living in Western multicultural societies and the implications of their belief systems for health and well-being. It addresses the ways in which health and social care professionals can work effectively and compassionately with their culturally diverse service users and be more open to the spiritual aspects of their work. The chapter presents features of culture as a concept and explores how culture may influence our worldviews and identity, underpinned by spirituality, another closely entwined concept. Traditional societies with strong identities and culture will have behaviours that are prescribed and driven by a value system that has been passed down through the generations. The growing multicultural society presents health care providers with the difficult task of providing appropriate spiritual care for individuals who have different life experiences, beliefs, value systems, religions, languages and notions of health care.