The Intersection of Public Health and Cross-Cultural Communication: Illustrations from the Tatarstan Women’s Health Initiative

Abstract

This paper reports on the application of Sharf and Kahler’s (1996) Cultural Sensitivity Model to the experiences of cross-cultural researchers engaged in the conduct of the Tatarstan Women’s Health Survey. In the summer of 2001, a cross-cultural team composed of researchers from Kazan State Medical University, Kazan State University, RO RT OPP Women of Russia Movement and the University of Nevada, Reno, USA, with the support of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Tatarstan, conducted an interview study of 1018 female subjects throughout the Tatarstan Republic. Topics covered dealt with a variety of interpersonal, intercultural, social and economic issues faced by Tatarstan women in their everyday life. This paper analyzes the choices and challenges experienced by the cross-cultural research team as they engaged in this collaborative project, and reiterates the importance of applied communication theory and research in promoting international public health collaborations. Basic tenets of effective international public health collaborations have emerged and their implications are discussed.