1. DIVERSITY CULTURAL COMPETENCE IN HEALTH CARE

2. How many cultures??

• It is estimated that at least 2,500 cultures and subcultures coexist on our planet and each is striving to protect and preserve their way of life.

• Many people live in a different country from where the culture originated

• We cant assume we understand someones culture based on their race, or origin

3. What is Cultural Competence?

• Cultural competence means the ability to provide care and service to culturally diverse people.

• The principles that provide the basis for cultural competence include:

• CARING

• RESPECT

• COMPASSION

• SINCERITY

4. Who Does Our Community Include? Examples from the year 2000 Dallas Census to illustrate our diversity.

5. In our community:

• The Dallas County Census in 2000 reported that men and women are almost exactly each 50% of the population.

• In Dallas, 8.1% of the population is age 65 or older.

• Approximately 20% are Black or African American; 30% Hispanic or Latino; 44% Anglo, and 4% Asian.

6. More from the Census!

• The average household size in Dallas is 2.5 people.

• About 9% are single mothers, raising children alone.

• About 18% of people all ages have some form of disability.

7. What Do the Numbers Mean?

• Expect to see many different cultures at work, among your co-workers and customers

• Do not assume you understand someones culture

• Ask questions to gain insight into how someones culture affects their needs

• Do not impose your cultural values on others

8. Key Health Care Topics with Cultural Significance

• Medication

• Communication

• Death

• Dying, and care of the deceased

• Use of herbs

• Spirituality

• Mental health

• Meaning of disease

• Folk and faith healers

• The familys role in caring for the ill

• Choice of a family member to communicate

• Diet/nutrition

9. Cultural Competence in Action

• Listen and understand your patients and familys cultural and religious point of view.

• There are no fixed do this or dont do that simply because of a persons ethnicity, culture or religion.

• See the next slide for examples.

10. Cultural Competence in Action

• Traditional Hindu care of the dying:

• The family may wish to sing, pray and read to the dying

• The family may wish to have the deceased untouched for a time.

• Traditional Islam care of the dying:

• Upon death, the family may wish to designate someone to do a ritual wash.

• Generally, the deceased is not left alone before burial.

11. THE BASICS

• ACKNOWLEDGE others culture and differences

• ASK whether the patient has a preferred way to communicate

• BE SURE your patient has translation services.

• DONT make assumptions about the patients culture/race/identity

• DONT discriminate in your care or concern, based on race, age, gender, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation.

12. Where and when does cultural competence matter?

• With coworkers

• With patients

• With patients families and visitors

• With other visitors to the hospital

• Especially at key moments, such as birth and death

13. Whats Not OK:

• Slurs about a patient, coworker or anyone, related to their ethnicity, race, age, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

• Off-color jokes

• Showing preference among employees based on ethnicity, race, age, religion, gender, or sexual orientation.

14. Its all about Respect:

• Show the respect you want in the way you treat others

• Create a caring, supportive community in every aspect of your work

• Dont let words get in the way of communicating!

• Treat each person you come in contact with as a special, unique person that you are going to help

• You dont have to share others values, except when it comes to showing everyone respect

15. Our Goals:

• Mutual respect

• Recognition and appreciation of diversity among us and our patients

• Patient care that acknowledges the importance of the individuals culture

16. RESOURCES

• Education Department at the University Hospitals: 214.645.1140

• Office of Equal Opportunity & Minority Affairs at UT Southwestern Medical Center: 214.648.4344