Cultural Competence in Refugee Health Care
Lance A. Rasbridge, PhD
Coordinator, Refugee Outreach Program Parkland Hospital
Culture
• Definition- “complex whole…” • Individuals are part of many different
cultures • Influences an individual’s health beliefs,
practices, behaviors, and even outcomes of medical treatments
Competence
• Acknowledgement of the importance of culture
• Knowledge is not encyclopedic • Ongoing, not static • Based on the fundamental of cultural
relativism
Why is Cultural Competence in Health Care Important?
• Reduce barriers to access • Improve adherence to treatment • Improve health outcomes • Eliminate health disparities • Ethics- Patient-centered care
Caveats
• Diversity within all cultures, be careful of stereotyping
• Culture is dynamic, especially in the process of acculturation
• Be prepared to negotiate or suggest alternatives to undesirable practices
Southeast Asian Refugees
• Cambodians • Laotians • Vietnamese • Hmong, Montagnards
• Burmese ethnic
minorities • (Bhutanese)
Southeast Asian Medical Beliefs and Practices- Etiology
1. Spiritual- Buddhist, folk 2. Natural- balance, humours,
yin/yang 3. Western- biomedical
Buddhism
• Symbols
“Thanakaa”
• Betel nut
• Nutrition
Coining
Cupping
Pinching
Traditional medicines
Chinese medicine
Postpartum practices
Biomedical setting