Module 6 Flashcards
Define Culture
a set practices and behaviours defined by customs, habits, languages and geography that groups of individuals share
- Share values, beliefs, norms, understandings, symbols, practices of a group
The Nature of Culture
Above the Surface –> presented outwardly –> food, dress, film, dance, sports, games, art, music
Below the Surface –> Beauty standards, raise children, logic, justice, cleanliness, attitudes about the elderly, displays of emotion
Define Intercultural sensitivity
- Level of awareness of other cultures
- Increases when our exposure and experiences to other cultures increases
Define the Intercultural sensitivity continuum
DDMAAI
Denial
Defiance
Minimization
Acceptance
Adaptation
Integration
Define ethnocentrism and ethnology-relativism. Where do they meet on the continuum
Ethnocentrism –> Our values are superior and better than others
Ethno-relativism - accept/respect their values and who they are
Meet at acceptance
Denial
Limited contact with people unlike ourselves
The other is not viewed as a threat to the dominant group (little overt hostility)
- Assumptions are largely unconscious and unchallanged
Defence
Awareness of the other
- Seen as a threat; contact is discouraged
- Stereotyping is common
- Tendency to assert superiority of ones’s own culture
Minimization
Cultural differences are ‘acknowledged’ but ultimately seen as irrelevant.
- Acknowledge etiquette and cutsoms, but deep down we are all the same
We are a “tolerant” society; but…
There is an expectation of eventual assimilation into the dominant culture.
Acceptance
Aware of the cultural complexity of others
Shift from ethno-centrism to ethno-relativism
Cultures seen as different but equal.
Differences are often viewed as interesting, positive and enjoyable.
Differences (including other worldviews) are acknowledged and accepted.
Adaptation
Consider the perspective of another culture in assessing how to respond to a particular situation.
Showing both empathy and cultural humility.
Growing awareness of your “cultural lens”
Begin to appreciate how others may see you through their cultural lenses.
Integration
Bicultural/multicultural in one’s worldview
Identity not ‘moored’ to any one culture
Able to move easily and intentionally between different cultural frames of reference
Why a greater cultural awareness in healthcare?
Patient populations are culturally diverse and becoming more so.
Can affect how a person perceives and/or experiences illness, who is consulted and how symptoms are reported.
Those providing care often have limited knowledge of the cultural background of their patients, or the effects of culture on the patient experience.
MUST understand how the cultural backgrounds of you and your patient can affect care.
Cultural differences in health seeking behaviour and health beliefs
Western bio-medical model of disease and care versus other health care traditions
Why do healthcare professionals have to recognize that they should be more culturally aware?
Professional and ethical reasons to be more culturally competent
Professional and moral obligation to provide the best possible care to your patient.
We understand that miscommunication and misunderstandings based on lack of awareness of relevant cultural factors and issues may limit our ability to provide optimum care.
If lacking, providers need to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills.
Define Cultural Competence in Health Care
To possess the attitudes, knowledge, and skills that support the acquisition and integration of the realities of different cultures into your practice, and into the profession.
Steps to be a successful practitioner:
- Have a positive attitude towards your own cultural heritage as well as of patients
- Appreciate, value and respect differences
- Be aware of your personal biases and values
- Increase understanding of cultures - seek out various worldviews of disease
- Increase knowledge of how culture can affect the distribution of health disparities, communication, assumption of specific roles
- Become familiar with cultural-specific resources
- Communicate respectfully
- Examine and explain issue for patients point of view
- Advocate for patients based on their needs
How to increase cultural competence
- Examine your cultural background
- Asses your level of cultural sensitivity
- Talk with pts from diverese backgrounds in your community
- Read about cultural-specific diseases and evidence based interventions
- Immerse yourself in the community –> Be seen
Work with patient or community groups - Hold staff meeti ngs or seminars focused on cultural competency
- Seek out traditional healers (in addition to…)
- reach out to religious leaders and organizations
Define cultural humility
Intrapersonal:
Having an accurate view of oneself culturally, including an awareness of the limitations of one’s own perspective or ability to understand another’s background and experience.
Interpersonal:
Openness to other cultures characterised by respect and lack of superiority. Recognize and accept that others may differ in beliefs, values, attitudes, and world views.
Why do minorities have poorer health outcomes?
Social Determinants of Health
- lower levels of education, lower socioeconomic status, and living in unsafe neighbourhoods
- Lack of acess to care
Uninsured individuals will….
- do not have regular care
- will prevent seeking care
- more likley to report they have not recieved care
- Avoidable hospitalizations, emergency hospital care, and adverese health outcomes
If minorities had same level and access to care….
- SDOH not just the answer
- If they did have acess and living conditions similar to whites, still experience bad health outcomes
Define healthcare equity
- the principle that care should not vary based on patient characteristics such as race/ethnicity
What is the goal of culturally competent healthcare providers?
The goal is to improve the ability of health-care providers and the healthcare system to communicate effectively with and provide high quality care to patients from diverese sociocultural backgrounds
Why are disparities bad?
Unjust, unethical, costly and unacceptable
Why is cultural competency more important than ever?
- Country is becoming more diverse
- Research has demonstrated that sociocultural differences between patient and provider influence communication and decision making
- Disparities result in more medical errors with greater clinical consequence
Why is cultural competency problematic?
- Focus on language barriers
- Checklist of what to do/what to say for certain cultures
- E.g. Here is how you should interact with a Latino pt rather than learning about the culture
- need to learn their values, beliefs, and customs. Need to learn about their historical experiences and how it may influence them
The relationship between cultural competency and stereotyping
- A broad view of a cultural group (e.g. latino) can lead to stereotypes and generalizations
- May assume all latinos have the same beliefs, values, norms, etc. when this isn’t the case. Many latin countries have different cultures eve though they share the same language (e.g. Spanish)
Difference between Patient-Centered Care and Cultural Competency
- Impossible to learn the values, beliefs, family dynamics and health behaviours of all cultural groups
- Focus on the individual; get to know the patient themselves rather than focus on trends associated with certain groups and making assumptions off those trends
- Switching the ethics of care from checklist principles to a focus on the individual pt
What approach should be used in health care services/studies to be more culturally competent?
- DO NOT USE a one size fits all approach; all though appears as equitable, does not address differences across cultures
- Are we actually catering to the needs of these people?
- Refine services to be culturally competent (through education) to reduce disparities
- Collect data on race and language, find out what barriers to healthcare are being experienced, interpreters, make flexible hours, refer to peer support networks, train staff and clinicians in cultural competence
Accountable Care Organizations (ACO’s)
- Group of doctors, hospitals, and other health-care providers that come together voluntarily to provide coordinated care to their patients
- Minimize cost to pt; maintain effective care by meeting quality indicators
- Benefits –> Increased quality of care, lower costs and improved population health
- Cover diverse populations –> use anlaytics to predict barriers that atke into account race, socioeconomic status, education level
Community Health Workers
Community health workers, all with different cultural and linguistic backgrounds, will have the capacities to meet the needs of diverse communities