Week 1 Discussion – How Would You Classify Yourself?

CCHS: Each discussion about 300 words would be great or more. 

According to Chapter 2 in the Rose (2013) textbook, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) standardized race and ethnicity into four racial groups and one ethnicity. The four racial groups are: Native American or Alaskan Native, Asian/Pacific Islander, African American/Black and White/Caucasian. The one ethnic group is Hispanic/Latino.

Think about how you would classify yourself using these groups. Would you include yourself in one of the above categories? If so, which one(s)? If there is no category for you, how would you classify yourself? What factors do you base your classification on? Overall, what are your feelings about classifying yourself? How did this exercise make you feel?

What recommendations would you make to OMB in order to be more inclusive in the race and ethnic categories? Be specific.

Week 2 Discussion – Unequal Treatment

For this week’s discussion you are asked to comment on the question:

Based on the articles/multimedia and perhaps your personal experience, what contributing factors, e.g., language barriers, targeted marketing, stereotypical medical models, cultural beliefs, uninformed policy, system barriers, etc. do you consider primarily responsible for discrimination and unequal treatment in health practice and why?

Week 3 Discussion – Health Disparities and Cultural Competency: How They Interrelate?

Health Disparities and Cultural Competency: How They Interrelate?

How is cultural competency seen to either help reduce, or possibly increase, health disparities? Provide examples from this week’s readings and multimedia resources as well as your own research.

Again using this week’s materials, what recommendations would you make in order to try to reduce health disparities and improve health equity in your community?

Week 4 Discussion – Culturally Competent Leadership

As it has been discussed throughout the Rose textbook and online resources, the only way an organization truly becomes culturally proficient is from support from the leadership of the organization. For this week’s discussion, imagine you have recently been promoted as director of a public health or health care organization and a top item on your agenda is leading a culturally competent organization. Reflect and then respond to the following two questions as found on page 173 of the Rose textbook:

1. “As a health professional what changes in cultural attitudes, behaviors, and values are necessary on my behalf?
2. How prepared am I and the organization I serve to effectively respond to cultural practices/nuances of patients/clients/customers?”

Week 5 Discussion – Smoking Intervention

From Edberg, M. (2013). Essentials of Health, Culture, and Diversity: Understanding People, Reducing Disparities. Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC, ISBN-13: 978-0-7637-8045-6, page 156:

“Among the ABC peoples, smoking cigarettes is clearly a gender-based activity. Males smoke cigarettes from the time that they are 7 or 8 years old. Starting at that age is an unofficial rite of passage. Smoking is typically done at any occasion where men hang out, talk, and even work. It is rarely done by women, because it is viewed as a sign that the woman is loose and not well brought up. In addition, smoking and the type of tobacco used is usually talked about in the sense of tradition, with certain tobaccos almost viewed in human terms, as challenges (e.g., “Okay, can you handle this one?”)

General knowledge about cancer and other health problems resulting from smoking is known by many. But the knowledge of risk does not necessarily translate into preventive action (from a biomedical standpoint); in fact, it adds to the value of smoking, since smoking then becomes a known act of defying risk. This cultural view of smoking and risk is amplified by illness behavior common to men in which seeking help – especially prevention help when no symptoms are evident – would be viewed (by other men, anyway) as a sign of weakness.

There is a stop-smoking program in ABC territory, though. It is run by the brother of a high political leader, who got cancer from smoking.

Question: Your task is to increase utilization of the stop-smoking program among the ABC people, via culturally tailored approaches. How might you train your staff to do this?”

Week 6 Discussion – Working With Special Populations

When you hear about cultural competency, you may first think in terms of race and ethnicity. However, there are different populations you may interact with in your role as a public health professional who are not based on race and ethnicity. This week, we are focusing on those with disabilities, mental health issues, and gender (women or men and we even have to consider intersex!).

For your discussion this week, select one of the above special populations to research. Using the provided websites and resources found in Multimedia as well as in your own research and experience, provide the following information for discussion this week:

1. The current demographics of the selected special population: number, percent of total U.S. population, age range, race and ethnic backgrounds, major health issues (for disabilities, you may select a major disability to narrow your focus or for mental illness, focus on one mental health issue), and health beliefs.
2. Review Chapter 11 of the Rose textbook for the definitions of the terms listed on page 137. In what ways (at least three) could the selected population be psychosocially impacted by incompetent health care? Provide specific terms and definitions with related examples.
3. Have you witnessed any of the above in your personal and/or professional life? Please share one example.
4. In what ways could you show cultural humility with your selected special population?

Week 7 Discussion – Working With Special Populations

When you hear about cultural competency, you may first think in terms of race and ethnicity. However, there are different populations you may interact with in your role as a public health professional who are not based on race and ethnicity. This week, we are focusing on the LGBT population, veterans, immigrants and the elderly.

For your discussion this week, select one of the above special populations to research with the exception of immigrants. Using the provided websites and resources found in Multimedia as well as in your own research and experience, provide the following information for discussion this week:

1. The current demographics of the selected special population: number, percent of total U.S. population, age range, race and ethnic backgrounds, major health issues, and health beliefs.
2. Review Chapter 11 of the Rose textbook for the definitions of the terms listed on page 137. In what ways (at least three) could the selected population be psychosocially impacted by incompetent health care? Provide specific terms and definitions with related examples.
3. Have you witnessed any of the above in your personal and/or professional life? Please share one example.

In what ways could you show cultural humility with your selected special population?