Achieving cultural competence — the ability to communicate effectively across different linguistic and cultural traditions — is necessarily a gradual process. For clinicians, this requires close examination of health-related attitudes and beliefs — their clients’ and their own. The following articles suggest some steps that homeless health care providers can take to begin the journey. To simplify this task while illustrating its complexity, we have chosen to focus on the clinical challenges presented by homeless persons whose primary language is Spanish, and how experienced clinicians are meeting them. Many of the lessons learned from these service providers are applicable to other cultural groups.
Categories:
Clinical Practice, Cultural Competency, Ethical and Cultural Issues, Homeless Services