RESidENcy PROGRAM Scholarly and Community Medicine Projects

Cultural and linguistic competence is a set of
congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that
come together in a system, agency, or among
professionals that enables effective work in crosscultural
situations. 'Culture' refers to integrated
patterns of human behavior that include the
language, thoughts, communications, actions,
customs customs, beliefs beliefs, values values, and institutions of racial racial,
ethnic, religious, or social groups. 'Competence'
implies having the capacity to function effectively
as an individual and an organization within the
context of the cultural beliefs, behaviors, and
needs presented by consumers and their
communities. (US DHHS)
Linguistic Anxiety
� Name (given vs. chosen)
� Pronouns
�� Gender definitions
Linguistic Anxiety
� Sample verbiage:
� “What name do you go by?” “Do you have a chosen name?”
� “What pronouns do you use?”
� “How do you identify?” “Do you identify as transgender, or
i is there h another h term you prefer?” f ?”
Cultural Competency
� Transgender patients are a medically underserved
population
� Lack of access, transphobia/discrimination in the health
care setting g is common
� The National Transgender Discrimination Survey Report
� Like all people, transgender patients deserve respectful
medical care
Linguistic Anxiety
� Sample verbiage:
� “Because so many people are impacted by
gender issues, I have begun to ask everyone
about it. Anything you do say about gender
issues will be kept confidential. If this topic isn’t
relevant to you, tell me and I’ll move on.”
� “Out of respect for my clients’ right to selfidentify,
I ask all clients what gender pronoun
they prefer I use for them. What pronoun would
you like me to use for you?”
5/13/2011
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