Cultural Competence in Healthcare: Are Black Women Receiving the Care They Need?
Have you ever felt unheard and dismissed when you’ve gone to the doctor? You leave their office wondering if they have the necessary cultural competence to give quality healthcare services to a diverse patient population. Maybe they’re overworked, but you can’t shake the feeling your race was a factor.
These health inequities are rooted in a complex system of socioeconomic factors, implicit biases, and a lack of adequate cultural competence training in medical school. Let’s explore what cultural competence in public health means, the health disparities you face as a Black person, and how you can get patient-centered care.
What Is Cultural Competence in a Healthcare Setting?
Cultural competence in healthcare is all about the ability of your healthcare professionals to understand, respect, and respond to your needs with cultural awareness. It is important to have healthcare providers who are open to understanding how cultural differences influence behaviors, decision-making, and health outcomes.
It’s an essential part of healthcare organizations meeting the healthcare needs of ethnic minority groups and diverse populations.
Clinicians must go beyond their medical education to gain cultural knowledge about the demographics they serve, including cultural beliefs, values, and practices. This helps them understand how to improve their healthcare delivery in a way that supports cultural diversity.
What To Know About Healthcare Disparities and Black Women
Your chances of dying from pregnancy-related complications are three to four times higher as a Black woman than that of a white woman.
You have two times the risk compared to a white woman of having uncontrolled blood pressure or getting diabetes after age 55.
That’s not the only health disparity you face. You are more likely to die from cardiovascular disease, stroke, hypertension, lupus, and certain cancers.
Systemic barriers also contribute to health disparities. Socioeconomic barriers, limited access to quality healthcare services, and living in an underserved community can all play a role. Recognized or not, biases among your healthcare providers can result in misdiagnosis, inadequate treatment, and a poorer quality of care.
What Initiatives Address Healthcare Disparities?
Recognition of the need to address these racial health disparities is growing. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) continues to launch initiatives like the National Action Plan to Address Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Healthcare. These programs focus on increasing healthcare provider’s access to cultural competency training, collecting better data on health outcomes by cultural groups, and expanding quality care in underserved communities.
The Office of Minority Health (OMH), which operates within HHS, offers many resources. Their website has educational materials, tailored specifically for African Americans, on a variety of health conditions. They can also connect you with community health organizations able to understand your needs and provide support and advocacy.
How Can You Find Culturally Competent Health Care Providers?
Searching for culturally competent healthcare systems in America isn’t easy, but it’s also worthwhile. Receiving equitable health care is dependent upon finding doctors with cultural competence.
Do Your Research
Did you know that many healthcare organizations list providers who have had cultural competency training on their websites?
Finding a doctor who shares your background and culture isn’t always possible, but it’s worth looking for filters that help you search by cultural background, language, and insurance.
Ask Your Network
Getting recommendations for culturally competent clinicians from your friends, family, and community health centers can help. In a pinch, if you’re already at an appointment and the nurse is friendly and supportive, share your concerns and ask if they can recommend one.
Look for Signs of Cultural Awareness
Does the office staff reflect the diversity of your community, and are materials available in languages other than English? Pictures that reflect community demographics may signal a more culturally competent healthcare setting, while providing materials in languages like Spanish can break down language barriers.
Interview Your Doctor
Get a sense of your primary care doctor’s communication style and approach. Do they ask you questions to understand you and listen to your answers? Culturally competent doctors prioritize understanding how cultural beliefs and socioeconomic status factors may impact your health goals and outcomes.
Be Your Own Champion
If you don’t feel seen, heard, and supported by your doctor, you have the right to seek someone else who may be a better fit. The quality of healthcare you receive depends upon working with a clinician who will pay attention if you show symptoms of endometriosis and understand your increased risk of iron deficiency or low vitamin D.
Culturally Competent Care Is Your Right
Achieving health equity requires a multi-pronged approach. Increasing your health literacy by learning more about the health concerns that may impact you as a Black woman is a major step towards advocating for yourself in healthcare settings. Finding culturally competent healthcare providers who understand your challenges will help you take charge of your health and get better outcomes.
You are your own health champion. You deserve quality care that is tailored to your needs. At Black Girl Vitamins, we have your back and are ready to support your health journey with the information and supplements to help you reach your goals.
Sources:
How Present-Day Health Disparities For Black People Are Linked To Past Policies and Events | KFF
Black Americans’ Views of and Engagement With Science | Pew Research Center
Working Together to Reduce Black Maternal Mortality | CDC.gov
Racism, Sexism, and the Crisis of Black Women’s Health | Boston University