care discipline and profession, plays a central role in meeting the care needs of the increasing number of HIV/AIDS patients from diverse cultures.46
Caring usually is an embedded value in the culture of populations.47 It is important for nurses to understand the culture of the population from which their patients come, so as to be better able to develop caring modalities that are congruent with the culture of the respective population. Caring modalities that are not congruent with the patients’ cultural beliefs may lead to cultural shock, uncooperative behavior and difficulties in achieving nursing care goals.