Cultural Pluralism In Health Care Essay

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The United States of America is the “Land of Opportunity”, home to people from all corners of the earth, all sharing various values, belief, and practices regarding health and healing. Immigrants to the United States represent a sizable and rapidly growing group that totaled approximately thirty-six million people, or 12 percent of the U.S. population, in 2005 (Derose, ). With so much U.S population foreign born varying beliefs and views on health pose unique challenges to health care professional, especially those in public health across the country. The importance of respect and cultural sensitivity cannot be stressed enough. Cultural pluralism is a mutual appreciation and understanding of various cultures and subcultures in society (Maurer. …show more content…

In the Emergency Department we use interpreter phones to communicate with patients that speak a language other than English, and utilize English speaking family and live translators working for various organization. This population is especially vulnerable due to socioeconomic factors, immigration status, health care accessibility, and limited English proficiency. Clinical prevention services are a target on the Healthy People 2020 initiative, which this population underutilizes (Healthy). Although preventative services are available for those that are enrolled in the Medicaid program, many in this population visit the emergency Department for routine care; including but not limited to ‘check-up’s’, prescription refills, and minor complaints. The push has been made by several of the ER providers to educate this population on the proper use of emergency services and the difference in care available to them (primary care versus urgent care versus emergent care). We have yet to see a change in the thinking regarding this group, but local clinics have been notified regarding this issue. The two community clinics that provide care to a majority of the foreign born residents struggle with long wait times for appointments and limited funding for supplies and staffing to care for this populations needs. As my community continues to struggle with this vulnerable group we also understand their needs and right

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