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Geri-Ann Galanti, PhD
Ph.D. (1981); M.A. (1976); B.A. (1972) UCLA Anthropology
School of Medicine (Doctoring Curriculum) UCLA
(1997 - present)
Division of Nursing CSU Dominguez Hills
(1983 - present)
Department of Anthropology CSU Los Angeles
(1980-1983; 1987 - present)
As a Medical Anthropologist - it's the questions that drive Geri-Ann Galanti, PhD
- Why is it that the Nicaraguan patient recovering from coronary bypass surgery is constantly complaining of pain, while the Japanese patient who underwent the same surgery, never even asks for pain medication?
- Why does the Mexican woman continue to feed her husband, despite physician’s orders that he feed himself?
- Why is the Filipino nurse insulted when her supervisor offers to help her?
- Why does the Saudi Arabian man refuse to allow a male physician to examine his pregnant wife, despite the fact that she’s bleeding?
- Why does the Chinese family insist that their mother not be told she is dying?
Medical anthropology is the study of health care systems and beliefs and behaviors around health and illness - and these are the kinds of questions that interest Geri-Ann Galanti, PhD. She is particularly fascinated by the points of conflict that occur when doctors, nurses, and patients all come from diverse ethnic groups. “Everyone may be trying to do the right thing, but since what’s considered ‘right’ varies from culture to culture, conflicts and misunderstandings can result.”
Geri-Ann has spent much of her career teaching nurses and medical students how to provide culturally competent care. She is best known for her book, “Caring for Patients From Different Cultures,” now in its 4th edition. It contains over 250 case studies of incidents where things went wrong due to cultural differences, or where problems were avoided because health care professionals utilized cultural competence. “What I like to do is tell stories,” Galanti says, “because that’s what people relate to. My book is filled with stories about how culture has influenced people’s health and the kind of treatment they receive.”
Dr. Galanti has authored numerous training materials, including the curriculum for the CSU Dominguez Hills School of Nursing course on Human Diversity and Health Care, and an online Cultural Competence course available through PerforMax3. She received an Outstanding Teacher Award for Clinical Faculty Teaching in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at UCLA for her work in the Doctoring Program. She is currently serving as Cultural Consultant on a grant project with the University of California medical schools to train medical students and residents about issues around end-of-life care.
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In her spare time, she enjoys Middle Eastern dancing. One of her favorite projects involved teaching belly dance to women undergoing cancer treatment. “Dressing up in beautiful costumes and learning the sensual moves helped the woman regain their sense of beauty and femininity that cancer had taken away.” |
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In case you’re wondering about the questions posed at the beginning…
- Latin American cultures tend to encourage open expression of feelings, while Asian cultures tend to encourage stoicism.
- One way a traditional Mexican woman is expected to show her love for her husband is to take care of him when he is ill.
- Asian cultures are based on a hierarchical, rather than an egalitarian system. If someone higher on the hierarchy offers help to someone lower on the ladder, there is an implied criticism.
- Traditional Muslims adhere to strict sexual segregation, and men are not allowed to see the naked body of a woman to whom they are not married.
- In many Asian cultures, it may be thought to be cruel and insensitive to let someone know they are dying. It may cause them to give up hope.
For more information about this fascinating subject, see Galanti’s website at www.ggalanti.com
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