RESOURCES

INTERNET RESOURCES

CULTURE – Hispanic values and beliefs

http://enespanol.discovery.com/convergence/thoughtleaders/thoughtleaders.html
http://www.diversityrx.org/HTML/DIVRX.htm
http://www.omhrc.gov/

DEMOGRAPHY – Hispanic Demographics

www.pewhispanic.org
www.census.gov

HEALTH – Hispanic Health from government sources

www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/hispanic_health.htm
http://www.hablamosjuntos.org/

IMMIGRATION – Reports and policy papers

http://pewhispanic.org

GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED IN CULTURAL COMPETENCE

Acculturation
A process in which members of an ethno-cultural group, typically immigrants, acquire the values and beliefs of the dominant culture.

Assimilation
An intense process in which members of an ethno-cultural group, typically immigrants, are absorbed into an established, generally larger culture. This presumes a loss of many characteristics which make the newcomers different. A region or society where assimilation is occurring is sometimes referred to as a melting pot.

Bicultural
This orientation allows individuals to maintain some components of their native culture and to incorporate some practices and beliefs of the dominant culture.

Bilingual
Having equal proficiency in two spoken languages

Culture
A system of values and beliefs that define how we perceive the world around us.

Cultural Competence
The ability to acknowledge and understand cultural diversity in the clinical setting or workplace. It involves learning about and respecting patients health beliefs and practices that differ from one’s own.

Discrimination
This is an action that occurs when an individual is singled out for unfair treatment primarily because of his/her group membership

Ethnicity
A cultural group’s sense of identification associated with the group’s common social and cultural heritage.

Ethnocentrism
Judging other cultures by the standards of one’s own and believing that one’s own group is inherently superior to others.

Health Care Disparities
Refers to the disproportionate burden of morbidity, mortality and disability between groups.

Health Outcomes
The study of health outcomes looks beyond the physiological measures of success to examine the effects of the health care process on patients and populations. Health outcomes research seeks to understand the effects of health care practices and interventions. Researchers in this field use various measures of outcomes in hopes of using their findings to develop better ways to monitor and improve the quality of care.

Hispanic/Latino
“Hispanic” is a term first used by the U.S. Census in 1980 and has been used to describe the populations from Mexico and Latin America. “Latino” is a term used by persons of Spanish speaking descent to describe themselves in the aggregate.

Linguistic Competence
Capacity of an organization and its personnel to communicate effectively with diverse audiences, including persons of limited English proficiency.

Multicultural
The term is used to describe demographic conditions of cultural and ethnic diversity where it occurs, whether or not it is officially supported by state policy.

Non-verbal language
A form of communication without the use of words. May include body posture, facial expressions, hand and arm gestures, tone of voice, eye contact and personal space.

Prejudice
An interpersonal hostility that is directed against individuals based on their membership in a minority group.

Stereotypes
A fixed and distorted generalization made about all members of a particular group; a rigid judgment which doesn’t take into account the individual situation. Stereotypes may be positive or negative and may be used to justify certain discriminatory behaviors.

Valuing Differences
Focuses on human differences and interactions in the workplace. Valuing differences means we value the idea of inclusiveness and encourage respect for the diverse backgrounds, perspectives and beliefs of patients, employees and customers.