Impact of cultural competence on medical care: where are we today?
The Institute of Medicine's 2002 Report on Unequal Treatment calls attention to disparities in health care and proposes corrective steps. Proposed actions included improvement in cross-cultural skills among providers. This article highlights evidence for unequal treatment, and delineates current medical educational efforts aimed at improving cultural competence. Improvement is needed in the uniform adoption of cultural competence curricula and focus needs to be placed on its impact through outcomes research.
Rosa
Ute W
UW
Pulmonary Division, SUNY Downstate at Long Island College Hospital, 339 Hicks Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA. urosa@chpnet.org
D018864:Cultural Diversity; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000639:trends*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008913:Minority Groups; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States