To gain a competitive edge in the market place.To meet legislative, regulatory and accreditation mandates.To improve the quality of services and primary care outcomes.To eliminate long-standing disparities in the health status of people of diverse racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds.To respond to current and projected demographic changes in the United States.The National Center for Culture Competence provides six reasons for the implementation of cultural sensitivity (4): urban, rural or suburban)Ĭultural sensitivity is an essential element for patient safety and adherence. Religious and spiritual characteristics, including beliefs, practices and support systems related to how an individual finds and defines meaning in his/her life.Racial and ethnic groups - including but not limited to - those defined by the US Census Bureau.Perceptions/beliefs regarding diet and nutrition.Perceptions of health and well-being and related practices.Linguistic characteristics, including language(s) spoken, written or signed dialects or regional variants literacy levels and other related communication needs.Health practice, including use of traditional healer techniques such as Reiki and acupuncture.The enhanced CLAS standards list the following elements of culture, acknowledging that culture is not limited to the following: Culture is dynamic in nature, and individuals may identify with multiple cultures over the course of their lifetime.”
“The integrated pattern of thoughts, communications, actions, customs, beliefs, values and institutions associated, wholly or partially, with racial, ethnic or linguistic groups, as well as with religious, spiritual, biological, geographical or sociological characteristics. In 2013, the enhanced National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in Health and Health Care (3)define culture as: “Culture” is a term whose meaning has evolved and broadened. Culturally proficient health care, in particular, makes use of a patient’s language and culture as tools to improve outcomes for that individual. Cultural sensitivity is not solely the acceptance of cultural differences, but rather a transformational process that allows individuals to acknowledge interdependence and align with a group other than their own. Such services are the hallmark of culturally proficient health care delivery for our nation’s increasingly diverse population.Ĭultural sensitivity is broadly recognized as the knowledge, skills, attitudes and beliefs that enable people to work well with, respond effectively to, and be supportive of people in cross-cultural settings. Culturally and linguistically appropriate services, broadly defined as care and services that are respectful of and responsive to the cultural and linguistic needs of all individuals (2), hold the promise to reduce these health outcome disparities. However, in our nation and elsewhere, health inequities persist, and health outcome disparities remain an ethical and practical dilemma (1).
The vision of the AAFP is “to transform healthcare to achieve optimal health for everyone.” All persons, regardless of linguistic or other cultural characteristics, deserve access to high quality health services. A position paper of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)
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