Culturally Competent Healthcare

Today, persons of color comprise about one third of the U.S. population. By the year 2050, various ethnic groups and persons of color in the U.S. will total over half (51.1%) of the population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Close to 90 percent of our total population growth will have come from higher birth rates of persons of color, and historic levels of immigration.

This projection emphasizes what many have already realized: Providing healthcare services to persons who act, talk, relate, dress, and eat differently from what we have considered the "mainstream" are becoming far more commonplace. Continued immigration into the U.S. , along with increases in the population of various cultural groups, means that more patients with different cultural customs, beliefs, and practices will be entering into the healthcare delivery system. This brings with it a unique and complex set of challenges for healthcare providers.

While healthcare is a universal concept existing in every cultural group, different cultures vary in the ways in which they perceive health and illness and how care is given. Culture is a predominate force in shaping an individual's health and response to illness. For this reason, hospitals not only must provide excellent patient care, they also must be proficient in cultural competency , the understanding of different cultures and customs.

(Culturally Competent Healthcare - Contd.)

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When organizations are not meeting the challenge of change, it is a rule not because they can't solve their problems, but because they won't see their problems; not because they don't know their faults, but because they rationalize them as virtues or necessities.

John Gardner
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CEU-Credited Web Seminars Coming Fall 2005
2.0 contact hour CEU/CME eligible web seminars, on a variety of topics. Our next edition of The Curve will have the dates; please let us know if you would like to be notified about the dates before then.

IN THE NEWS
Cook Ross's product CultureVision was cited in the news this month! DiversityInc featured our new web-based tool in their most recent issue.
"When a couple of Arabic descent recently visted St. Francis Hospital in Greenvale, SC, the attending physcian noticed the woman kept her head down and remained silent while her husband answered all the medical questions for her. The staff initially was concerned that this was a sign of a troubled relationship; however, after consulting CultureVision, a new online service that provides insight into various racial and ethnic groups, the staff learned this was normal behaviour in that culture . . ." click here for the full story!

For more information,
call 301-565-4035 or email howross@cookross.com.