Introduction As populations grow more ethnically and racially diverse and as the people of the world become linked more closely by commerce, transportation, and communication, the likelihood of individuals from different cultures and subcultures living together increases. An awareness of cultural differences helps ease everyday interactions in a multicultural society and can be crucial in international relations. Cultural variation reflects more than simply differences in people’s habit and customs (Newman, 2006).
Our cultural background is profoundly influenced by social class, religion, migration, geography, gender oppression, ethnic group and racism and sexual orientation, as well as by family dynamics. All these factors influence people’s social location in our society – their access to resources, their inclusion in dominant definition of “belonging,” and the extent to which they will be privileged or oppressed within the larger society. These factors also influence how family members relate to their cultural heritage, to others of their cultural group, and to preserving cultural traditions (McGoldrick, 2005).
A minority group is any collectivity of people that is assigned or relegated to a low social position in society as compared to others. This low social position in society is indicative of the oppression, suppression, and discrimination minority group members experience in almost all aspects of life in society (Boss, 1993). “Seven of every ten (70%) poor, non-metro African Americans live in six Southern states: Mississippi, Georgia, North Carolina, Louisiana, Alabama, and South Carolina.
Nearly three quarters (73%) of all poor, non-metro Hispanics live in five Southwestern states: Texas, New Mexico, California, Arizona, and Colorado. Over half (57%) of all poor, non-metro Native Americans live in five Western states: Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Montana. Non-metro Asian / Pacific Islanders are a geographic and economic exception among non-metro minority populations. Non-metro Asian / Pacific Islanders, just over half a million people, are not geographically concentrated and are less likely than the white population to live in poverty” (Samuels, 2002). Poverty
Rural poverty affects every aspects of life of an individuals as well as the community. In U. S. , partiality among minority and dominant people exists because the percentage of less fortunate people is higher among population of minority or ethnic groups, and the total economic resources of the community are more constricted in places where minority groups correspond to more than half of the population. Because of this, there is the need to have community resources means that it will be not easy for rural minorities family to advance their economic status (Samuels, 2002). Health Service
Minorities residing in poor, non-metro counties are less privileged with regards to health care resources and services. Three out of five non-metro white Americans live in Health Professions Shortage Areas (HPSAs); three out of four non-metro minority Americans do so. (Asian/ Pacific Islanders are exempted to these. ) In dealing with the needs of non-metro minority populations, there is a need to recognize the simultaneous presence of low income persons in low income regions. About one third of non-metro African Americans and Native Americans, and about one quarter of non-metro Hispanics are less fortunate.
In general, regions with high concentrations of minorities have income and resources that are two thirds or less than of those with national average. In regions where Native Americans comprise the major population group, incomes are fewer than half and county bank assets about one fourth of the national average (Samuels, 2002). Economic status The scarcity of community resources entails that it will be not easy for non-metro minority people for their economic status to get better if they will not leave their current communities. Federal financial support for community development tends to avoid many poor non-metro counties.
A group of researchers at the US Department of Agriculture have looked at the course of Federal funds to urban and non-metropolitan counties. Non-metro counties have more advantage in funds received for income security, such as Social Security, public assistance, and medical benefits than people in metro counties. On the other hand, allotted funds for community resource development such as business assistance, community and regional development are chiefly provided for metropolitan counties. This inclination of partiality can be changed if rural communities and rural health infrastructures could carry on.