Culturally competent care is healthcare that considers a person’s cultural and faith-based beliefs. It can help ensure that the care being given is compassionate and effective.

Culture refers to the shared beliefs and values of a group of people, including certain customs and ideas. It can differ by region, religion, race, or social group. Cultural competence in healthcare is the ability to offer individualized care that takes these values into account.

By providing culturally competent care, healthcare professionals can lead with the concept that “healthy” looks different for everyone. This can allow for treatment plans that consider more than just physical health, making space for emotional and spiritual well-being.

Culturally competent care can look different for everyone as it focuses on an individualized approach.

Examples include:

Individualist vs. collectivist beliefs

For some communities, an individualistic approach to healthcare may not align with their core values and can often result in less effective care.

For example, at times of national crisis, particularly during events of heightened racism and discrimination, effective mental health treatment may include care that is rooted in community.

This does not mean that individual needs must be sacrificed. Instead, it can allow for more autonomy over treatment plans that consider that “healthy” can look different for everyone.

Cultural competency and cultural humility are connected. Both are needed to deliver effective care. It can be helpful to think about cultural humility as the process and cultural competence as the outcome.

  • Cultural competency: This is a set of skills and knowledge that can be learned and adapted to serve different cultures and belief systems. It can be grown through interactions with different communities.
  • Cultural humility: This is often seen as a constant process that calls on individuals to reflect on their own experiences while maintaining awareness and appreciation for the diverse lives around them.

Both cultural competency and cultural humility are key elements of diverse and anti-racist medical training. They can help healthcare professionals view medical education as ongoing and something that can be adapted to better serve diverse populations.

Culturally competent healthcare is vital, as it can allow for the safe and effective delivery of care for marginalized communities. Research has shown that when healthcare professionals prioritize culturally competent care, it can lead to better health outcomes and an improved quality of care.

When compassionate and individualized care is given, it can allow for deeper engagement and a better understanding of treatment plans. This can help improve access to care for marginalized groups and help alleviate medical disparities.

There are several ways healthcare professionals can demonstrate cultural competence in their care delivery.

Examples include:

Respecting cultural healing systems

Healthcare can look different for everyone. Many communities have their own healing systems that may differ from Western medicine, instead based in holistic approaches.

It is important that healthcare professionals take these differences into account when creating treatment plans. For example, asking individuals to share their health goals and needs can be a helpful first step.

Being an active listener

It is important for healthcare professionals to make a conscious effort to listen to and understand what an individual is saying. This can help foster deeper engagement and better communication. Where possible, it can also be helpful for healthcare professionals to take a moment to reflect on what a patient has said before responding.

Leading with compassion

It’s important that healthcare professionals always take a compassionate and person-centered approach to providing healthcare. This can help individuals feel supported and respected.

Seeing treatment plans as collaborative

It’s key that healthcare professionals make medical decisions in partnership with an individual, not for them. It is important that people feel in control of their healthcare journey and are able to discuss alternative options that may better suit their lifestyles.

Considering additional needs

Each person has a personal relationship with the healthcare system. Marginalized communities may hold more concerns and hesitations than others when it comes to getting medical support, largely due to historical disparities and systemic racism.

Leading with empathy and respect may help someone feel more at ease and willing to share and discuss their health issues.

Additional needs may also include linguistic needs. The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) reports that ensuring translation services are available can be vital in positive and high quality care outcomes.

Culturally competent care is healthcare that considers a person’s cultural and faith-based beliefs. It can look different for everyone as it focuses on an individualized approach.

Examples include mental health support that considers cultural backgrounds and treatment plans that respect alternative medicine practices.

Culturally competent healthcare is vital and can allow for the safe and effective delivery of care, leading to improved health outcomes for underserved communities.