"Effective health communication is as important to health care as clinical skill. To improve individual health and build healthy communities, health care providers need to recognize and address the unique culture, language and health literacy of diverse consumers and communities" (HRSA, 2012). This video from HRSA provides some good examples of effective healthcare communication.
But we also need to broaden our definition of "culture" to the social millieu of subgroups within our culture, and the needs unique to these often-underserved groups. For example, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people (LGBT for short) face challenges that cut across gender and ethnic lines, and doctors need to be trained on how to best serve them. Krupa points out that while most medical education programs provide minimal training in this area, "some schools and residency programs are trying to give physicians-in-training insight into LGBT patients and ensure these patients’ health needs are addressed and treated" (Krupa, 2012).
Are you or someone you know part of a non-mainstream social millieu? When you (or they) seek services from our healthcare systems, what do you wish more physicians understood about your subgroup? Tell us at the fireside!
Reference
HRSA. (2012). Culture, Language and Health Literacy. Retrieved November 6, 2012, from http://www.hrsa.gov/culturalcompetence/index.html
Krupa, C. (2012). New doctors trained to overcome LGBT health care gap. Retrieved from http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/11/05/prl21105.htm