Despite the advancements in public health and healthcare over the past century, such as immunizations, control of infectious diseases, and family planning, health disparities continue between majority and minority populations.^{1, 2} Health disparities have many causes, including low socioeconomic status (SES), language barriers or limited English proficiency (LEP), education, and cultural beliefs. These barriers have a negative impact on the utilization, satisfaction, and adherence to not only health services, but overall medical care expenditures.²  For example, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies estimates health disparities to have cost the United States $1.24 trillion between 2003 and 2006.³ In order to improve minority health while decreasing healthcare expenditures, government organizations, hospitals, and public health organizations and personnel must work together to address health disparities.

 

An effective way to close the disparities gap in public health and healthcare is through cultural competence. Cultural competence addresses how physicians and patients can work together and discuss health concerns respectfully without cultural differences hindering the conversation.⁴  Addressing cultural competence is imperative as communication with physicians presents a problem for one in five Americans, and the percentage rises to 27% among Asian Americans and 33% among Hispanics. Cultural competence techniques can improve communication, trust, and knowledge on specific racial and ethnic epidemiology and treatment, and expand a physician’s understanding of patients’ cultural behaviors and environment. Behavioral changes due to cultural competence can lead to tailored preventive care services and public health initiatives for minority group members which results in improved outcomes, such as better health status, functioning, and satisfaction and ultimately, on a broader scale, a decrease in health disparities.²

 

Education and training opportunities present an important first step in addressing health disparities through cultural competence. TRAIN, the nation’s premier learning management network for professionals and volunteers who protect the public’s health, offers local, state, and national trainings that public health professionals can utilize in promoting cultural competence. Trainings available that address cultural competence include:

To register for one of these cultural competence trainings, create a TRAIN account.

 

 

 

1.  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Ten Great Public Health Achievements in the 20th Century. http://www.cdc.gov/about/history/tengpha.htm. Accessed June 24, 2013.

 

2.  Brach, C and Frasher, I. Reducing Disparities through Culturally Competent Health Care: An Analysis of the Business Case. http://www.nrchmh.org. Accessed June 17, 2013.

 

3.  Hanlon, C and Hinkle, L. Assessing the Costs of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities: State Experience. http://www.hcup-us.ahrq.gov/reports/race/CostsofDisparitiesIB.pdf. Accessed June 17, 2013.

 

4. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. What is Culturally Competency? http://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/templates/browse.aspx?lvl=2&lvlID=11. Accessed June 17, 2013.