Integrating Health Literacy, Cultural Competence, and Language Access Services

Integrating Health Literacy, Cultural Competence, and Language Access Services
Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 115
Release: 2016-07-14
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 0309442400

The aging and evolving racial and ethnic composition of the U.S. population has the United States in the midst of a profound demographic shift and health care organizations face many issues as they move to address and adapt to this change. In their drive to adequately serve increasingly diverse communities, health care organizations are searching for approaches that will enable them to provide information and service to all persons, regardless of age, race, cultural background, or language skills, in a manner that facilitates understanding and use of that information to make appropriate health decisions. To better understand how the dynamic forces operating in health care today impact the delivery of services in a way that is health literate, culturally competent, and in an appropriate language for patients and their families, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine conducted a public workshop on the integration of health literacy, cultural competency, and language access services. Participants discussed skills and competencies needed for effective health communication, including health literacy, cultural competency, and language access services; interventions and strategies for integration; and differing perspectives such as providers and systems, patients and families, communities, and payers. This report summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.

Communities in Action

Communities in Action
Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 583
Release: 2017-04-27
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 0309452961

In the United States, some populations suffer from far greater disparities in health than others. Those disparities are caused not only by fundamental differences in health status across segments of the population, but also because of inequities in factors that impact health status, so-called determinants of health. Only part of an individual's health status depends on his or her behavior and choice; community-wide problems like poverty, unemployment, poor education, inadequate housing, poor public transportation, interpersonal violence, and decaying neighborhoods also contribute to health inequities, as well as the historic and ongoing interplay of structures, policies, and norms that shape lives. When these factors are not optimal in a community, it does not mean they are intractable: such inequities can be mitigated by social policies that can shape health in powerful ways. Communities in Action: Pathways to Health Equity seeks to delineate the causes of and the solutions to health inequities in the United States. This report focuses on what communities can do to promote health equity, what actions are needed by the many and varied stakeholders that are part of communities or support them, as well as the root causes and structural barriers that need to be overcome.

Cultural Competence

Cultural Competence
Author: Ronnie Linda Leavitt
Publisher: SLACK Incorporated
Total Pages: 289
Release: 2010
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1556428766

"Cultural Competence: A Lifelong Journey to Cultural Proficiency provides a comprehensive, theoretical and practical approach to increasing knowledge and awareness, improving attitudes, and providing the necessary skills for practicing cultural competence each day." "Dr. Ronnie Leavitt, along with a group of contributors with a range of backgrounds, both in physical therapy and the social sciences, provides an evidencebased text looking to explore practical applications in a wide array of settings. Cultural Competence addresses cultural competence by discussing the special considerations one needs to learn about rather than specific population groups. Also discussed is how different theorists describe cultural competence, as well as methods of measuring cultural competence and government policies regarding cultural competence."BOOK JACKET

Unequal Treatment

Unequal Treatment
Author: Institute of Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 781
Release: 2009-02-06
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 030908265X

Racial and ethnic disparities in health care are known to reflect access to care and other issues that arise from differing socioeconomic conditions. There is, however, increasing evidence that even after such differences are accounted for, race and ethnicity remain significant predictors of the quality of health care received. In Unequal Treatment, a panel of experts documents this evidence and explores how persons of color experience the health care environment. The book examines how disparities in treatment may arise in health care systems and looks at aspects of the clinical encounter that may contribute to such disparities. Patients' and providers' attitudes, expectations, and behavior are analyzed. How to intervene? Unequal Treatment offers recommendations for improvements in medical care financing, allocation of care, availability of language translation, community-based care, and other arenas. The committee highlights the potential of cross-cultural education to improve provider-patient communication and offers a detailed look at how to integrate cross-cultural learning within the health professions. The book concludes with recommendations for data collection and research initiatives. Unequal Treatment will be vitally important to health care policymakers, administrators, providers, educators, and students as well as advocates for people of color.

Cross-cultural Medicine

Cross-cultural Medicine
Author: JudyAnn Bigby
Publisher: ACP Press
Total Pages: 301
Release: 2003
Genre: Health & Fitness
ISBN: 193051302X

As the United States population becomes increasingly diverse, the need for guidelines to assure competent healthcare among minorities becomes ever more urgent. Cross-Cultural Medicine provides important background information on various racial, ethnic, and cultural groups, their general health problems and risks, and spiritual and religious issues. Individual chapters are devoted to the special concerns of several groups: blacks and African Americans, Latinos, American Indians and Native Alaskans, Asian Americans, and Arab Americans and American Muslims. These chapters lay the foundation for exploring an individual's health beliefs and concerns in the context of his or her sociocultural experiences.

Multicultural Health

Multicultural Health
Author: Lois A. Ritter
Publisher: Jones & Bartlett Publishers
Total Pages: 340
Release: 2017
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1284021025

Unit I: The Foundations: Introduction to multicultural health -- Theories and models related to multicultural health -- Worldview and health decisions -- Complementary and alternative medicine -- Religion, rituals and health -- Communication and health promotion in diverse societies. Unit II: Specific Cultural Groups: Hispanic and Latino American populations -- American Indian and Alaskan Native populations -- African American populations -- Asian American populations -- European and Mediterranean American populations -- Nonethnic cultures. Unit III: Looking Ahead: Closing the gap: strategies for eliminating health disparities.

Clinician's Guide to LGBTQIA+ Care

Clinician's Guide to LGBTQIA+ Care
Author: Ronica Mukerjee, DNP, MSN, FNP-BC, MsA, LAc,
Publisher: Springer Publishing Company
Total Pages: 220
Release: 2021-02-24
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 082616921X

Strive for health equity and surmount institutional oppression when treating marginalized populations with this distinct resource! This unique text provides a framework for delivering culturally safe clinical care to LGBTQIA+ populations filtered through the lens of racial, economic, and reproductive justice. It focuses strongly on the social context in which we live, one where multiple historical processes of oppression continue to manifest as injustices in the health care setting and beyond. Encompassing the shared experiences of a diverse group of expert health care practitioners, this book offers abundant examples, case studies, recommendations, and the most up-to-date guidelines available for treating LGBTQIA+ patient populations. Rich in clinical scenarios that describe best practices for safely treating patients, this text features varied healthcare frameworks encompassing patient-centered and community-centered care that considers the intersecting and ongoing processes of oppression that impact LGBTQIA+ people every day--particularly people of color. This text helps health providers incorporate safe and culturally appropriate language into their care, understand the roots and impact of stigma, address issues of health disparities, and recognize and avoid racial or LGBTQIA+ microaggressions. Specific approaches to care include chapters on sexual health care, perinatal care, and information about pregnancy and postpartum care for transgender and gender-expansive people. Key Features: Emphasizes patient-centered care incorporating an understanding of patient histories, safety needs, and power imbalances Provides tools for clinician self-reflection to understand and alleviate implicit bias Fosters culturally safe language and communication skills Presents abundant patient scenarios including specific dos and don'ts in patient treatment Includes concrete objectives, conclusions, terminology, and references in each chapter and discussion questions to promote critical thought Offers charts and information boxes to illuminate key information