The Importance of Cultural Competency in Healthcare
According to the Child Welfare Information Gateway, cultural competency means “being aware of your own cultural beliefs and values and how these may be different from other cultures––including being able to learn about and honor the different cultures of those you work with.” Cultural competency in healthcare is necessary to deliver care that meets the needs of diverse populations.
The United States is often called “The Melting Pot,” as each year, we become more diverse. With this in mind, healthcare providers must ensure everyone receives quality patient care regardless of their cultural backgrounds.
Here’s a look at the importance of cultural competence in healthcare and how it can improve patient care and health outcomes.
Understanding cultural competency
Cultural competency includes the knowledge, attitudes, and skills that enable healthcare providers to understand and appropriately respond to the cultural and linguistic needs of their patients. Cultural competence involves understanding the cultural differences in healthcare beliefs, practices, and behaviors and how these factors can impact patient care.
Healthcare providers must be aware of the cultural factors that may influence their patient-provider care, like:
Family
Community
Religion
Opinions on health and wellness
Views on death and dying
Beliefs on causes and treatments for illnesses and diseases
Eastern, western, alternative, or traditional medicine
Socioeconomic status
Gender
Food beliefs and diet
Why is cultural competency necessary in healthcare?
Here are three reasons why cultural competence is needed in the healthcare system.
Cultural competency helps healthcare providers understand the unique needs of their patients
Patients from different cultural backgrounds can have different beliefs and expectations about healthcare. Ultimately, patients' beliefs may impact their treatment decisions and medication adherence. Culturally competent healthcare providers can deliver care that is sensitive and appropriate to their patients’ cultural backgrounds and improve health outcomes.
Cultural competency is essential for effective communication.
Patients whose first language is not English may face difficulty communicating their health concerns. Healthcare providers who are culturally competent communicate with patients from diverse backgrounds, ensuring they thoroughly understand the treatment options.
Cultural competency is essential for providing fair healthcare.
Unfortunately, marginalized populations, such as immigrants and people of color (POC), may face discrimination and other barriers to accessing healthcare. Healthcare providers who are culturally competent can identify and address these barriers, ensuring that all patients receive the same level of healthcare.
Improving patient outcomes with cultural competence
Cultural competency in healthcare can improve patient outcomes in many ways. For example, a 2017 study on people with HIV suggests that people that receive culturally competent care are more likely to adhere to treatment. Also, patients who feel their healthcare providers understand their cultural and linguistic needs are more likely to trust and feel satisfied with their care.
Having culturally competent healthcare providers can also reduce health disparities. According to the CDC, health disparities are differences in health and healthcare between populations that come from health inequities.
People from certain racial and ethnic backgrounds are more likely to experience health disparities, such as:
Higher rates of chronic diseases
Infant mortality
Lower life expectancy
Self-reported poor health
By providing culturally competent care, healthcare providers can address these disparities and improve the health outcomes of these often disadvantaged and marginalized populations.
Incorporating cultural competency into healthcare
Implementing cultural competency into healthcare requires a multifaceted approach. Healthcare providers must recognize the importance of cultural competency and invest time and resources into learning about different cultures. Also, they should also seek to identify and address their biases and assumptions, which can impact their interactions with patients from different backgrounds.
Healthcare organizations can also play a role in promoting cultural competency. For example, they can provide cultural competency training to their staff and develop policies and procedures. They can also provide translation services or hire staff who are fluent in languages spoken by their patients.
Cultural competency is crucial in healthcare for providing quality care that is sensitive and appropriate to meet the needs of diverse populations. By understanding and respecting the values, beliefs, and behaviors of patients from different cultures, healthcare providers can improve patient outcomes and reduce health disparities.
Found this blog helpful? Here are some other blogs to check out: Why Women Self-Report Worse Health Outcomes and Common Health Disparities Among African Americans with a Chronic Illness.
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