Cultural Competence Frameworks

Cultural Competence Frameworks
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Introduction
Addressing the health care needs of culturally diverse groups has gained more prominence in health service delivery as the American society becomes more diverse (Capell et al., 2007). Cultural competence is a construct that has different meanings in diverse groups, showing that beliefs affect the way perceive health care services. Health professionals who are culturally sensitive are better placed to address issues affecting diverse cultural groups in an era of globalization. Effective communication is an integral part of cultural competency, and cultural assessment tools highlight on the need to elicit relevant information. This essay focuses the Cultural Competence Community Care model and the Development Model of Intercultural Sensitivity, highlighting on constructs that define the models, those which are missing and relevance to development of healthcare providers.
Model constructs and relation to healthcare providers
The Culturally Competence Community Care model (CCCC) proposed by Kim-Godwin et al, highlights on four aspects of an appropriate culturally competent approach to community care. The aspects include care, cultural sensitivity, knowledge and skills. The model‘s constructs are based on cultural competence, healthcare system and health outcomes in a community setting. The cultural system influences people’s beliefs and thoughts, and hence health care professionals in community settings need to be well trained on culturally competent care. In any case, culture influences evolution of health care systems, and though cultural groups may change some of their beliefs over time they normally have distinct health care practices and beliefs.
The Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS) model focuses on intercultural competence and sensitivity as being relevant to improve the way people deal with cultural differences (Hammer et al., 2003). The model developed by Dr. Milton Bennett delves into six stages on how people see and interpret intercultural perspectives. The six stages of the model are denial, minimization, defense reversal, acceptance, integration and adaptation. The first three stages are internal to the healthcare provider as they determine how the healthcare provider focuses on familiarity. It is through acceptance that the model now delves into the external factors that affect healthcare provision, where there is understanding that people from diverse backgrounds have complex cultures just like one’s own culture. This then facilitates adaptation and integration to divergent cultural perspectives and behaviors.
Constructs missing from the models
The CCCC model is comprehensive and mostly covers ethnic groups in community settings. However, this model does not specify what constitutes care in health care settings in the community, but rather gives themes that might be relevant in unde...