Cultural competence: an international perspective.

摘要

Cultural competence has become a ubiquitous catch-phrase as health care providers confront inequalities in care, particularly those prompted by differences hi race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status. It can affect everything from institutional policies and procedures to p'ersonal interactions between patients and providers. Cultural competence is not simply a matter of social pleasantries; rather, it has real-life consequences for health outcomes. Studies show that integrating ethnic and socioeconomic considerations into a practical care plan improves patient compliance . Providers everywhere have an obligation to integrate cultural competence into practice to improve, if not save, their patient's lives. Providers must examine their own practices, looking inward to understand how their biases and perceptions affect care, and looking outward to identify how they can improve their patient's experience and outcomes.