Program for Multicultural Health: Cultural Competency Update

We welcome your feedback on this new e-mail format. cultural.competency@umich.edu

Cultural Competency Update

A monthly communication from the University of Michigan Health System's
Program for Multicultural Health's
Cultural Competency Division

In this Issue (March 2006)


	CCQ: Multicultural Health Demographics MHG: Amish Health Care Beliefs and Practices New Web Links: From Cultural Competency Division In the Spotlight: Gifts of Art National News: Commonwealth Foundation, KFF, & RWJF

CCQ (Cultural Competency Question)


	Q: Where can I find local, state, and national multicultural health demographics? A: http://www.med.umich.edu/multicultural/ccp/demographics.html


MHG (Multicultural Health Generalization)

	Although the following statements may apply to some individuals, this is not to infer these are beliefs and/or practices of the majority of this population.

	Amish Health Care Beliefs and Practices
	The Amish believe all life is given and taken by God and their beliefs tell them to accept God's will as it is. The Amish prefer to give birth at home and to die at home. The elderly believe in rationing care near the end of life because they do not want to waste the community's/church's money. Disability is generally feared more than death. If treatment is refused by the Amish patient, be sure to thoroughly educate him/her if disability from his/her illness is a potential possibility. Amish couples are usually not deterred from having more children when they have a child with a heredity defect. A child with disabilities is referred to as a special child and is accepted as God's will. The Amish do not forbid the use of modern medical care. If deemed necessary, they can have surgical procedures, dental work, anesthesia and blood transfusions. Organ transplants are permitted with the exception of heart transplants (the heart is the soul of the body). They usually do not have health insurance as it is a "worldly product" and may show a lack of faith in God. Most Amish need to have church (bishop, community) permission to be hospitalized, as it is the community who will come together to help pay the costs. The Amish generally do not like to be seen by a health care provider who is in the "learning process". The Amish believe if they are going to pay out-of-pocket for their care, they want to be seen by an experienced practicing provider. Speak to both the husband and wife regarding health care decisions; they consider themselves as partners in family life. Source: Lee, D. (2005) Our Amish Neighbors: Providing Culturally Competent Care Multicultural Health Series. Videotape and handout available from the UMHS, PMCH, Cultural Competency Division. * For additional Multicultural Health Generalizations, please visit: http://www.med.umich.edu/multicultural/ccp/bmhg.htm



New Web Links (From Cultural Competency Division)

	Culture and Health Care: An E-Learning Course Diversity at the University of Michigan Health Literacy and Cultural Competency



In the Spotlight (An excerpt from this participant's 1st Annual Cultural Competency Exchange application.)

	To learn more about last year's Exchange or this year's (April 25, 2006) 2nd Annual Exchange, please visit http://www.med.umich.edu/multicultural/ccp/CCE.htm



	Gifts of Art

	Gifts of Art brings the world of art and music to the University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Care Centers' patients, visitors, and staff. One of the first nation-wide, this comprehensive program was developed to enhance the Hospitals' commitment to providing a restful and comforting environment to assist with the healing process. Gifts of Art's mission has always been to "reflect the variety of cultures represented in the community". When selecting posters for the Art Cart program, booking performers for Lobby concerts, and selecting artwork for display in the Galleries they fulfill this mission. They also reflect the community's diversity when bedside musicians bring books of music from all cultures so they can play familiar music to comfort patients in trying times. Gifts of Art believes they have had a subtle but power affect on the environment of care at the U-M Hospitals and Healthcare Centers. They also feel they are part of the culture and fabric of UMHHC's special community. The Gifts of Art program has provided a model for creating considerate and compassionate environments of care - a part of who we are as an institution. Gifts of Art is supported in part by the FRIENDS of University of Michigan Hospitals and Healthcare Centers, grants, gifts and the sale of artwork.



National News (Commonwealth Foundation, KFF, & RWJF)

	Stretching the Safety Net to Serve Undocumented Immigrants: Community Responses to Health Needs Center for Studying Health System Change February 2006 http://www.hschange.org/CONTENT/818/ Kentucky Measure Would Require Health Care Workers to Complete Cultural Competency Training Robert Wood Johnson Foundation February 3, 2006 http://www.rwjf.org/portfolios/features/digest.jsp?iaid=133&id=90517 New Mexico Health Advocates Work to Standardize Medical Interpretation Services Robert Wood Johnson Foundation February 6, 2006 http://www.rwjf.org/portfolios/features/digest.jsp?iaid=133&id=90604 Majority of Hospitals Collect Patients' Race, Ethnicity and Language Data; Yet Few Hospitals Use the Data to Improve Quality of Care Robert Wood Johnson Foundation February 9, 2006 http://www.rwjf.org/newsroom/newsreleasesdetail.jsp?id=10394 Chinese-Speaking Diabetes Patients Need Culturally Relevant, Bilingual Education Materials to Improve Disease Management Robert Wood Johnson Foundation February 9, 2006 http://www.rwjf.org/portfolios/features/digest.jsp?iaid=133&id=90872 Massachusetts Hospitals Tailor Services to Meet Needs of Muslim Patients Robert Wood Johnson Foundation February 16, 2006 http://www.rwjf.org/portfolios/features/digest.jsp?iaid=133&id=91292 Wall Street Journal Examines Negotiations by Amish, Mennonite Communities To Reduce Their Cost of Health Services Kaiser Family Foundation February 21, 2006 http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=35524 Health Experts Say Language Barriers Contribute to Medical Errors, Call for Better Translation Services to Improve Care Robert Wood Johnson Foundation February 21, 2006 http://www.rwjf.org/portfolios/features/digest.jsp?iaid=133&id=91494 R.I. Governor Proposes To Eliminate 3,000 Undocumented Immigrant Children From Medicaid Kaiser Family Foundation February 23, 2006 http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=35589 Michigan County Initiative Helps Improve Care for Minority Residents Robert Wood Johnson Foundation February 24, 2006 http://www.rwjf.org/portfolios/features/digest.jsp?iaid=133&id=91736 Washington, D.C., Area Health Care Organizations Tailoring Care to Diverse Patients Robert Wood Johnson Foundation February 27, 2006 http://www.rwjf.org/portfolios/features/digest.jsp?iaid=133&id=91829 State, Private Groups Work to Improve Care for Arkansas' Hispanic Residents Robert Wood Johnson Foundation February 27, 2006 http://www.rwjf.org/portfolios/features/digest.jsp?iaid=133&id=91830 Washington Post Examines Steps Taken by Health Care Providers To Treat Increased Number of Immigrant Patients Kaiser Family Foundation February 28, 2006 http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=35683 North Carolina Medical Interpreter Network Provides Information in Patients' Preferred Language to Improve Care Robert Wood Johnson Foundation February 28, 2006 http://www.rwjf.org/portfolios/features/digest.jsp?iaid=133&id=91901 Allowing Patients to Describe Their Race, Ethnicity May Help Physicians Improve Care Robert Wood Johnson Foundation March 2, 2006 http://www.rwjf.org/portfolios/features/digest.jsp?iaid=133&id=92069



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	(printer-friendly version) Cultural Competency Division Brochure	Phone: 734.615.0593 E-mail: cultural.competency@umich.edu
		Cultural Competency Division, PMCH 2600 Green Road, Suite 150-C Ann Arbor, MI 48105-0792