Sample Abstract
Cultural Competency for Public Health Professionals
Victor Woody, B. Healther
Learning Objectives:
Background:
Communities are made up of members from diverse backgrounds who share a common bond. There can be infinite combinations of social, racial, and religious belief systems that make up these communities. Today, because of population growth and technological advances, communities are more diverse than ever yet they continue to develop and maintain unique cultural structures. In recent years cultural competency trainings have focused solely on racial and ethnic differences. Examples of disease prevention interventions based solely on racial and/or ethnic differences without regard to community dynamics exist in many public health settings. In reality, interventions based on race and ethnicity for one cultural group (i.e.., MSM of color, Latino, Hispanic) may not have the same results with a similar community in a different geographic location. In addition, communities are often described by behaviors that put them at risk, seemingly disregarding culture influence altogether (i.e.; IDU, MSM). Today, many public health practitioners are beginning to explore beyond traditional stereotype views of communities based racial and ethnic differences and targeted behaviors. These practitioners are beginning to learn more about the cultural effects of the social, economic and religious belief systems that contribute the unique cultural identities of the communities they serve.
Setting:
Various public health settings including clinics, outreach, counseling and testing, and educational settings.
Population:
Communities that receive public health services including populations at risk for hepatitis: MSM and IDU.
Project Description:
Public health professionals are provided with a brief didactic presentation that will define culture and community. We will use a series of interactive exercises where participants will: 1) be challenged to think about how their own cultural backgrounds influence their interactions with members from diverse communities; 2) experience the barriers and challenges of serving diverse communities; 3) apply cultural competency skills in the delivery of public health services.
Results/Lessons Learned:
Public health professionals who are trained in cultural competency skills become more aware of the cultural influences in the communities they serve.
This awareness can have a profound effect on the delivery of public health interventions to targeted communities, particularly those described by risk behaviors.