The United States is a developed country but still, there are racial or ethnic disparities found in the healthcare system of U.S. Research has been conducted to address the different aspects of these ethnic disparities. The current research has a focus on the sociocultural barriers to care to evaluate and address the causes of ethnic disparities. According to research results, this issue can find its solution in the field of cultural competence.
Authors in the article have successfully identified key components for intervention along with the description of a practical framework for implementation of measures to address ethnic disparities present in the healthcare system. For this purpose, a literature review was conducted using the academic and government publications to check the level of different barriers to implementation of cultural competency efforts. Furthermore, sociocultural barriers to care in the U.S health care system are present at organizational, structural as well as clinical levels. At the organizational level, leadership is the source of these barriers; at the structural level, there is a process of care that serves as a barrier(Betancourt et al.). While at the clinical level, a provider and patient encounter are responsible for these barriers. To address these barriers, the approach of cultural competency can be used that consists of a formal framework of cultural competence interventions.
Moreover, there can be the addition of minority recruitment into the health professions along with the development of interpreter services and language(Betancourt et al.). There can also be the use of more and more education related to cross-cultural issues available in health care settings so that people may have the acknowledgment of their rights. By using these interventions, most of the issues related to ethnic disparities; stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination can be addressed effectively. This is necessary, as there are ongoing demographic changes that are requiring the elimination of ethnic disparities in health and healthcare.
Works Cited
Betancourt, Joseph R., et al. “Defining cultural competence: a practical framework for addressing racial/ethnic disparities in health and healthcare.” Public health reports (2016).
