Table 1 Examples of culturally competent interventions
From: Adaptation of health care for migrants: whose responsibility?
Level | Content of the level | Examples of interventions |
|---|---|---|
A. Health care policy | Cultural competence is operationalised chiefly through health policies and action plans for diversity in health care, but also through the labour market and in education [12, 13]. | •Standards of quality that take into account ethnic diversity, such as the CLAS standards in the United States, the NHS Checking for Change programme, and the Swiss Federal Strategy for health of migrants |
•Accreditation and licensing of health care professionals in cultural competence | ||
•Regulations and specific funding for culturally competent interventions such as intercultural mediation in Belgium | ||
B. Health care organisation | Adequacy of health care facilities in relation to the needs of migrant and minority patients, including both structural aspects of hospitals and training for health professionals [42]. | •Provision of religious facilities in health services |
•Recruitment policies | ||
•Hiring of interpreters or intercultural mediators | ||
•Culturally specific health services | ||
•Specific adaptations within the health services: providing meals that respect various religious practices, collaboration with traditional healers and religious leaders, etc. | ||
C. Individual health care professional | Cultural competence is operationalised through the development of knowledge, attitudes, and skills that aim to increase the quality of health care delivered to migrant patients within a culturally sensitive perspective [32]. | •Training in cultural competence |
•Ethnically sensitive educational material | ||
•Empowerment of patients |