Today’s society is characterized by its vast diversity in terms of ethnic and cultural differences, while modern values promote inclusiveness and equality in all spheres. Public health is an area of paramount importance nowadays, as its purpose is to encompass all communities and provide effective and affordable services. However, it is not always the case that such services take into account individuals’ backgrounds and other particularities, which entails health care disparities in society. The objective of cultural competence is to ensure that all relevant variables are considered when providing public health services. It comprises a range of parameters, such as cultural particularities of the community, as well as sexual orientation-related issues. Furthermore, Agaronnik et al. (2019) highlight the importance of recognizing social factors along with medical ones when working with people with disabilities. Overall, there is an array of factors that may influence the process of providing public health services efficiently.
The principles of cultural competence can be applied in a variety of health-related settings, but they gain additional importance in the case of public health. First of all, while doctors and nurses are in charge of providing effective treatment in hospitals and other healthcare facilities, public health specialists work in an equally significant direction. This area of expertise focuses on ensuring a healthy environment for people in communities, thus contributing to their overall quality of life. The primary objective of public health is not to treat but to prevent potentially harmful situations from emerging. Public health aims at establishing safety for all people in a variety of aspects, and the concept of cultural competence correlates with this goal. The well-being of community members depends on several factors, which may change in different contexts. Diversity in all forms has become the reality of the 21st century, and all spheres, especially public health, must adjust accordingly. Therefore, all policies and actions, both in regular and emergencies, must be implemented in light of people’s diverse worldviews.
At the same time, a lack of cultural competence may lead to negative consequences in terms of public health. Laurencin and Walker (2020) state that racial profiling has become a topical issue directly related to public health, as it violates its principles of community safety. This issue consists of unjustified prejudices toward African American people across different communities and leads to severe complications. Those who face racial profiling in their communities are more likely to develop the symptoms of stress, trauma, and PTSD (Laurencin & Walker, 2020). Such conditions lower the quality of people’s lives and deepen existing systemic issues. Moreover, individuals who go through such problems may lose trust in all institutions, which might have a negative effect on the public health response in case of an emergency. Powell (2016) writes that cultural difference awareness is considered to be a key component of eradicating health disparities, even though it demonstrates its maximum efficiency when combined with other factors. Cultural competence implemented by public health officials allows for more efficient community outreach and cooperation in the cases of health emergencies.
As far as I am concerned, any measures aimed at serving different communities must take into account cultural and social differences. Indeed, public health emergencies pose major threats to all individuals involved, and their effective solutions require the combined efforts of health specialists and members of the community. While trust is a crucial component of such a relationship, it is often compromised by the lack of cultural awareness and inclusiveness. Therefore, any public health work must be carried out in compliance with the modern principles and light of cultural and ethnic diversity, which is particularly important during public health emergencies.
References
Agaronnik, N., Campbell, E. G., Ressalam, J., & Iezzoni, L. I. (2019). Exploring issues relating to disability cultural competence among practicing physicians.Disability and Health Journal, 12(3), 403-410. Web.
Laurencin, C. T., & Walker, J. M. (2020). Racial profiling is a public health and health disparities issue.Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 7, 393–397. Web.
Powell, L. (2016). Social determinants of health: Cultural competence is not enough.Creative Nursing, 22(1). Web.