CULTURAL DIVERSITY in MEDICINE Loomee Doo Chelsea Earby W. Courtland Lewis

What Factors are Critical in Good Patient Care?

Patients say…  Wait Time  Language/ Communication  Continuity of Care Staff say…  Patient Comfort  Standards of Care  Accommodation

What Factors are Critical in Good Patient Care? Patients say…  Wait Time  Language/ Communication  Continuity of Care Staff say…  Patient Comfort  Standards of Care  Accommodation  CULTURAL AWARENESS

How do you define… cul·ture ( ˈ kəlCHər)

Culture can be hard to define…

Video of INTERPRETER defining Culture

Culture is all encompassing…  Education  Language  Race  Religion  Ethnicity  Nationality  Sexuality  Financial

At the Core: Culture is Communication … Communication is Culture

How as our healthcare system dealt with the concept of culture?  Patients and Staff agreed that culture is important and constantly considered in our healthcare system  Most surveyed patients do not see any discrimination in cultural differences in our healthcare system.

Examples of Cultural Awareness:

 Skit of Cultural Awareness

Examples of Cultural Awareness:  Recognizing that dying Muslim patients prefer to face toward Mecca (i.e. East/Southeast)  Recognizing how the insurance premiums & the cost of healthcare can affect healthcare decisions  Looking directly at a patient when using an interpreter

Examples of Cultural Insensitivity:

 Skit of Racial Intolerance

Examples of Cultural Insensitivity:  Assuming all Asians speak Chinese  Describing Kyphosis to an African American Woman as “ghetto booty”  Assuming poor health choices are solely due to arrogance or ignorance  Disregarding the importance of religion or/& family influence

How to achieve greater Cultural Awareness  Take advantage of external Opportunities  Work at a Free Clinic  Volunteer at Humanitarian Health Missions Service  Attend Conferences on Diversity, Race and Learning  Occasionally step out of your Comfort Zone  Don’t be afraid to ask questions

How to achieve greater Cultural Awareness…  Take advantage of external Opportunities  Work at a Free Clinic  Volunteer at Humanitarian Health Missions Service  Attend Conferences on Diversity, Race and Learning  Occasionally step out of your Comfort Zone  Don’t be afraid to ask questions  ALWAYS be RESPECTFUL !!!

Take Home Points  Acknowledge cultural differences but don’t make blanket assumptions  Don’t be afraid to ask questions  Raise cultural awareness by making an effort to expose yourself to different cultures  Have a warm greeting

 Thank you for listening! We hope you learned more about the complexity of culture and its importance in healthcare!

Thanks to…

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