Do you speak “health care”?

Jacqueline Leskovec, MLIS, MA, RN

National Network of Libraries of MedicineGreater Midwest Region

DSLC St Mary’s College

21March 2012

National Network of Libraries of Medicine Greater Midwest Region Who We Are

This project has been funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract No. HHS-N-276-2011-00005-C with the University of Illinois

at Chicago.

ObjectivesParticipants will:• Understand the meaning of health disparities• Be able to identify 4 population groups affected

by health disparities• Learn 4 resources for addressing health

disparities

Health Disparities• Racial, ethnic, sexual & other minorities• Residents of rural areas• Women, children, the elderly• Persons with disabilities• Immigrants, refugees, asylees

Let’s play Diversity Bingo!

Health Equality• [The] attainment of the highest level of health for

all people. Achieving health equity requires valuing everyone equally with focused and ongoing societal efforts to address avoidable inequalities, historical and contemporary injustices, and the elimination of health and health care disparities.

~Healthy People 2020HealthyPeople.gov

Factors• A high-quality education• Nutritious food• Decent and safe housing• Affordable, reliable public transportation• Culturally sensitive health care providers• Health insurance• Clean water and non-polluted air

Emerging Populations~http://rhin.org/

U.S. Statistics• 73,293 refugees in

2010 o Top countries: Iraq, Burma,

Bhutano Refugee “cap” each year

• 22,113 persons granted asylum in 2010o Top countries: China, Ethiopia,

Haiti

Unique Health Issues

Culture and Patient Health

• Beliefs about objects, symbols, food, the body, blood, non-traditional medicine, etc.

• Communication styles and norms

• Role of relationships• Ways of learning new

information• Role of translations

and interpreters

The Spirit Catches You…

Culture and Clinical Practice

• Integrating cultural information into clinical practiceo Things to watch: styles of speech, eye contact, body language

• Industry Collaboration Efforto Better Communication, Better Care: Provider Tools to Care for Diverse

Populationso http://www.iceforhealth.org/

• New Joint Commission recommendations for hospitals, policy makers, and researchers

The 4 C’s of Culture1. What do you call your problem?2. What do you think caused your problem?3. How do you cope with your condition?4. What are your concerns regarding the condition

and/or recommended treatment?

~The 4 C’s of Culture: A Mnemonic for Health Care Professionals

Health Information Resources

Scholarly Resources/Databases

• PubMedo MeSH Terms

• Google Scholar• CINAHL• PsycINFO

o MedlinePlus/MedlinePlus Españolo Health topicso Drugs & Supplementso Demographic Groups

• Children and Teenagers• Men• Population Groups• Seniors• Women

RHINRefugee Health Information Network• http://www.rhin.org • Multilingual health information (more than 80

languages) for health providers, refugees and asylees

• Large section on cultural guidance• Country Conditions Reports• Multiple formats (print, audio, video)

EthnoMed• http://ethnomed.org • Merged material from former 24 Languages

Project• Background information on cultures and cultural

competency• Patient education materials

DiversityRx• Improving Health Care for a Diverse World

o http://www.diversityrx.org o Webinarso Cultural Competenceo Conference

o http://www.healthyroadsmedia.org/ o Multiple languages; multiple formats

• Includes iPod video and multimedia

Health Information Translations

o http://healthinfotranslations.org/ o Health topics include Diagnostic Tests and

Disaster Preparednesso Linked to from MedlinePlus!

Final Words

Not just what you see…

• Disaster Culture• Profiling/Prejudice: 9/11• Prior Health & Mental Health Issues• Children: over 16 million• Green Card Through Marriage

o Gender Inequality

http://www.us-immigration.com/Green-Card-Through-Marriage.jsp

Others?

Thank you

• Jacqueline Leskovec• leskovec@uic.edu• http://nnlm.gov/gmr• SMC Class of 1974

A copy of my grandmother’s record of arrival at Ellis Island, 1910