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Introduction:
Being an outsider in an urban area is a challenging
circumstance. Crossing cultures often creates
the risk of harming others, or being harmed,
sometimes out of misunderstanding or ignorance,
and sometimes intentionally.
Crossing cultures also provides positive opportunities.
Benefits of serving the underserved include:
(1) interpersonal and professional growth; (2)
more effective service and (3) developing a
balance between learning from others and offering
useful skills to address identified health needs.
Two skills that will be required in your work
in urban healthcare settings are (1) making
transitions from one type of cultural environment
to another, and (2) using intentional strategies
for learning about new people, places and ways
of doing things. This module includes activities
and resources to help you develop those skills.
Expect some surprises in this module! It is
not full of answers about how to deliver culturally
competent healthcare. Nor is it a "how
to" manual on becoming more sensitive,
knowledgeable or aware. However, it does contain
many of the right questions that can prompt
you to the vocabulary, background information,
and personal awareness, attitudes and sensitivity
that lead to cultural competence.
A word from the developers of this module—
Sometimes outsiders who come to urban areas
believe that they are "God’s gift"
to poor people. Blind to poverty and social
injustice all around, the outsiders offer simple
solutions to problems that are very complicated.
Our hope is that AHEC students and faculty
will take the time to be intentional about learning
new people, places and ways of doing things.
Being intentional about learning shows respect
for urban residents and leaders. It also helps
outsiders be more relevant and collaborative
in efforts to help.
Our primary goal in this module is to present
activities that will raise questions about the
influence of cultural factors on health. We
hope that DC AHEC student learners will:
- raise questions about the effect of culture
on health
- search for answers to these questions, and
- share their answers and experiences with
classmates, community residents and leaders.
Move
on to Activities
When you have completed this module, complete
the post-test.
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