Uche Fidelia Nnoruka
“Culture of health” is broadly defined as “a way in which good health and well-being flourish across geographic, demographic, and social sectors by fostering healthy equitable communities guides public and private decision making; and everyone has the opportunity to make choices that lead to healthy lifestyles.” In our society, there are many cultural practices that may affect the way healthcare can be delivered. For healthcare to be properly delivered, it is imperative that healthcare services applied respects diversity in the patient population and cultural factors that affects health and healthcare delivery. Some cultural practices can be language difference, beliefs, attitudes, behaviors and religion. Cultural competence is critical in healthcare because patients who feel their healthcare providers respect their beliefs, customs, values, language, and traditions are more likely to feel free to communicate their healthcare needs to their providers, and this will help to reduce healthcare disparities and improve patient care outcomes.
For example, in the African-American community, there are a lot of healthcare disparities that affect the ability to receive proper healthcare. These include structural, financial, and social barriers to care. However, within the community exist beliefs that certain diseases do not affect them; thus do not see the need for the vaccine. A common viral infection such as influenza (flu) affects every member of a community, regardless of culture, belief, age, sexual identity, race or gender. However, there are still a few African American members of the community who believe that flu vaccination causes them to have the flu infection.
Comparing the beliefs of Whites, African Americans, and Latinos, Whites seem to most likely to believe that influenza vaccine is very effective in preventing influenzas compared to African Americans and Latinos. At the same time, there is a significant population of Whites who believe that other staple vaccines, such as the MMR vaccine, causes development issues, like autism, among children. This “vaccine hesitancy” has become a subculture in itself, but it’s more of a privilege of the rich, white, and wealthy.
We all hold beliefs about the healthcare we receive, regardless of our race. In the end, it becomes problematic if only the beliefs of African Americans or Latinos, are dismissed, while Whites’ beliefs are supported, financially and socially, by the healthcare system and those in it.
With such difference in beliefs, it can be a challenge to provide proper healthcare to people because they may reject it. Still, professionals have a responsibility to consider that such beliefs can exist in the setting of a doctor’s office, and plan for what actions they will take next. Regardless of how strongly one holds to their beliefs, healthcare providers are obliged to respect their personal and cultural beliefs.
It’s safe to say that cultures and beliefs are clear determinants of healthcare delivery among racial and ethnic groups, but also among the general population. Hence, to address this, there should be strategies implemented such as community education to help educate members of the community on the importance of how cultures and beliefs can affect the delivery of healthcare.
“How Communication Factors In” by the Director
Cultural competency is the perfect note to end 2019 at CFHJ on. It’s why I created this platform. It’s why I care about health and healthcare. It’s why I do the work I do. If you are in healthcare, and you don’t consider the idea of bringing cultural competency into your work, you need to keep reading. I believe that many people don’t understand why culture matters in healthcare, because it does not matter to their lives. Consider the demographics of physicians, healthcare CEO’s, and healthcare management. It’s predominantly White. But race aside, since we live in a self-absorbed, vain society, where people look out for number one, of course non-affected parties would not care about the impact of cultural differences on health. Let’s start with some definitions of cultural competency vs. cultural humility, because there are multiple ways to acknowledge cultural factors, by definition. See the descriptions below.
In essence, cultural competency “implies that one can function with a thorough knowledge of the values and beliefs of another culture” (“Recovery U: Diversity and Cultural Humility,” pg. 4). Cultural humility on the other hand, “Acknowledges that it’s impossible to be adequately knowledgeable about cultures other than one’s own”. Humility denotes a willingness to accurately assess oneself and one’s limitations, the ability to acknowledge gaps in one’s knowledge, and an openness to new ideas, contradictory information, and advice.”
When it’s time to implement these terms in real time, it’s up to you to determine which one you’ll pick. I believe that the healthcare community, thus far, is currently working with the first definition but gradually moving the latter. The important thing is that we consider the impact of culture in our varied work as health comm specialists, healthcare providers, nurses, doctors, allied health practitioners, and more. Over this year, I’ve gotten the chance to meet (in person and via the web) many healthcare providers who DO care about immersing cultural humility into their healthcare practices.
They are the ones who continue to inspire me to do what I do and be unrelenting about it.
From time to time, I get feedback from people who tell me, “Wow, you’re so innovative and brave to create a platform like CFHJ!” Or, “You are beyond courageous for making this space, as you might get a lot of pushback from this platform, seeing as it is putting a spotlight on healthcare inequalities, both systematic and manmade.”
I am appreciative of all of these kind words. And I truly appreciate all of the support I’ve received since creating and launching CFHJ. But I do this because for way too long, no one was doing this. No young person was bold enough to speak about healthcare injustices, because as young people, we are often told to be quiet and wait our turn. But our input is valid and warranted in healthcare discussions, especially as the pending healthcare revamp will be the system we age into. Just because (some) of use do not pay for our own insurance yet, does not mean we don’t see injustices in the system that exists before us. I went to high school with kids with Cystic Fibrosis and my sister’s best friend from college navigated school while managing Sickle Cell. Both of them could tell you in vivid detail just how the healthcare system affected the very fabric of their lives, even though they were not the primary mayors of their care.
Finally, it’s no question, when you see harm being done, you have to speak up and say something. If I see or hear of harm being done to people, especially people who look like me, I speak up. It’s that simple. It’s not rocket science, it’s standing up for others when no one else will, and it’s the right thing to do.