A Qualitative Study of Hutterites' Perspective and Attitudes Toward Healthcare Providers

As the U.S. becomes more diverse, so does the population presenting to healthcare providers. As a result, cultural competency has become a vital aspect of healthcare in the U.S. Providers need to understand not only how their treatments are appropriate for a specific cultural group, but also how they can most effectively communicate with and establish relationships with these patients. One of the distinct cultural groups living in South Dakota are the Hutterites. While members of the Hutterite colonies use mainstream medical facilities for their health care, there is little information about the preparation of mainstream healthcare providers for the culture of this group and how this preparation may impact the services they provide to Hutterites. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand Hutterites' experiences with healthcare providers. Individual interviews were conducted with eight adults from a local Hutterite colony who had experience with mainstream healthcare providers. The qualitative analysis of these interviews resulted in two major themes: issues of healthcare culture and use of medical services only when needed. Certain aspects of Hutterite culture should be acknowledged when they present for medical treatment.