"Where are you really from?": Multicultural Competence

Posted by Carolyn Martin on November 23rd, 2015 Posted in: Health Literacy

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What is cultural competency?  Like many concepts, there is no one definition.  Cultural awareness is a fundamental element in cultural competence. Being aware and conscious of cultural differences and similarities is important but so is the awareness of one’s own culture and recognizing and acknowledging the impact it has on those of other cultures.  Our communities are becoming more and more diverse as people move from one place to another whether seeking education, better opportunities or because of political turmoil, violent conflict, economic hardships, or for a variety of other reasons.  Imagine the fear and stress of coming to a country where language, transportation, money, housing, healthcare, laws, social customs are all very different and being expected to assimilate almost immediately!  But cultural competency isn’t just limited to new immigrants as many ethnic groups have been living here for generations or centuries before Europeans arrived but continue to be minority cultures.

According to the National Institutes of Health, “Culture is often described as the combination of a body of knowledge, a body of belief and a body of behavior. It involves a number of elements, including personal identification, language, thoughts, communications, actions, customs, beliefs, values, and institutions that are often specific to ethnic, racial, religious, geographic, or social groups.”  Typically we think of ethnic or racial groups as cultures.  This is true, they are indeed cultures but the term ‘culture’ can also be used to describe other social groups such as youth, rural, and specific disabilities or health conditions.  For example you may have heard of deaf culture or culture of poverty.  The terms ‘community’ or ‘world’ have also been used.  But awareness of these various cultures is important in communication, in education, business and health.  Our ability to interact with various cultures with sensitivity, awareness, and respect can affect disparities, opportunities, and successes. 

A person’s health is often impacted by the level of cultural competence hospital or health clinic personnel, policies and procedures, and delivery of healthcare.  When those who work in healthcare develop cultural awareness they are then cognizant and observant of their patients’ belief systems and customs and how that might affect how illness, healing, and healthcare are viewed which can have a positive effect by providing better service and promote healing.  Providing culturally competent care can lead to a more patient-centered care without stereotyping and categorizing if done appropriately.

But keep in mind, it isn’t just patients or library visitors who would benefit from a library or hospital who prioritizes cultural competence.  Our co-workers and colleagues may be from various cultures and having management and administration aware of this diversity can make for a more respectful,  inclusive, and effective work environment.  We can all benefit by engaging with patients, with visitors, with our co-workers and neighbors allowing for better communication and understanding as we work towards multicultural competence.

• The National Institutes of Health provides information regarding cultural respect and what they are doing to promote this at their institution.
• The National Center for Cultural Competence at Georgetown University in Washington DC provides all sorts of information including teaching tools, for a variety of institutions to use and incorporate.
• And the National Library of Medicine provides a number of multi-cultural resources for health care.