A influência das práticas culturais no processo de cuidado de enfermagem na saúde da criança

Abstract

Introduction: Nursing care directed at children is influenced by diverse cultural practices that shape how families and communities understand health, illness, protection, and child development. Objective: This study sought to identify, in the scientific literature, how cultural practices influence nursing care for children. Methodology: A narrative literature review was conducted based on the guiding question of how cultural practices influence nursing care in child health. The search took place between October and November 2025 in the LILACS, BDENF, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and Scopus databases using descriptors related to child health, culture, care, and nursing. Inclusion criteria comprised empirical field studies addressing cultural practices involving children aged 0 to 9 years, published in Portuguese, English, or Spanish and available in open access. Studies were excluded if they were theses, dissertations, monographs, ministerial documents, review articles, publications without free access, studies unrelated to the objective, or those not based on field research. Fourteen studies met all eligibility criteria. Results: The analysis revealed two thematic axes. The first involved sociocultural practices present in family life, such as blessing rituals, use of herbs, protective rites, spiritual beliefs, and culturally shaped dietary habits, showing that families mobilize traditional knowledge to interpret and care for child health. Integrating these practices into professional care strengthens cultural sensitivity, improves therapeutic bonds, and enhances nursing care quality. The second axis referred to care provided in hospital settings, where tensions emerged between biomedical rationale and traditional family knowledge, along with experiences in which professionals demonstrated openness and respect toward cultural particularities. Such attitudes favored more humanized interactions, reduced conflicts, and improved communication and safety for the child and family. Conclusion: Valuing cultural diversity expands the possibilities for culturally congruent nursing practice and contributes to more comprehensive and responsive child health care.