I recently attended a Global Health Forum sponsored by the
Rhodes GenUN club, which was intended to address topics related to global
health. This discussion came in the form of a panel of Rhodes professors,
students, and community advocates, all speaking on different aspects of local
healthcare needs, as well as national issues. Dr. Tom McGowan, a professor at
Rhodes, spoke on cultural competence in healthcare, and how huge disparities
exist in the quality and types of healthcare received by minority populations.
Professor McGowan argued that a lack of cultural competence was a product of
limited access to healthcare resources as well as the lack of diversity in the
workplaces in the healthcare field. This lack of diversity can be seen in the
staggering fact that only four percent of physicians in the US are African
Americans, and even fewer are Hispanic. Professor McGowan argued that this
disproportionate amount of white doctors leads to an inability to understand
non-white patient needs.
The impacts of a lack of cultural competency in healthcare
can be seen in the statistics surrounding the health of minority groups in this
country. Minority populations are at much higher risks of developing chronic illnesses,
and have higher morbidity rates from these diseases. African Americans and
Latinx individuals are more likely to have chronic illnesses, and also more
likely to be limited in activity due to this illnesses. The consequence of
these increased rates of disease are higher medical costs and lowered ability
to perform necessary activities, as compared with white counterparts. Further, minority
groups show much lower levels of satisfaction with their healthcare, report
working less with their physicians, and less participation in medical
decisions. As a result of these health disparities, a cycle of generational
unhealthiness can be fostered, leading to an almost inescapable inability to be
healthy.
Systematic racism takes many different forms in this country,
but I believe on of the most impactful is the inability for minority
populations to access adequate health resources. The US has some of the best
healthcare in the world, yet is unable to ensure that all citizens are given
equal access, often through extremely high healthcare costs. In order to
overcome this inequality, cultural competency must be fostered throughout the
healthcare system, not only with those who directly interact wit patients, but
also those who create the systems for treating patients. This should include
more avenues for minority groups to join the healthcare field. An increase in
multicultural voices is necessary to combat the extreme lack of understanding
of non-white voices and experiences. This would foster a greater ability of
patients to interact in a meaningful and productive way with their healthcare
providers. Finally, providing equal and universal access to health resources is
crucial to break the cycle of generational health disparities. In a country so
advanced in health, there is no reason why there should be huge portions of the
population left with staggering healthcare needs, solely on the basis of their
race.
Word count: 496
Pledged: Zach Thornton
Source: https://hpi.georgetown.edu/agingsociety/pubhtml/cultural/cultural.html
Cultural competency for is beyond important with regards to the medical field but also in other professional fields as well. It all begins in the education system. Liberal arts colleges in particular allow for students to become well rounded in many areas of study. Being at Rhodes College, they make us take F8 and F9, which includes areas of study like sociology, anthropology, and psychology, etc. Here, we are exposed to different perspectives and taught to broaden our views to encompass all types of peoples and cultures. At the same time, you cannot necessarily teach someone compassion or sympathy. Many factors go in to being a great health professional who is capable of taking care of everyone equally regardless of race/gender/color. Maybe we will see changes in our healthcare system. Maybe they will enforce certain prerequisites (like the classes I states plus other humanities) you must take to even be considered for medical schools. I believe they have changed the system some from when it started out, but there is always more they can do to better the system.
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