In order to effectively approach the elimination of racial and ethnic health disparities, it is essential to employ a comprehensive research strategy to determine the impact of contributors on both the service delivery system and targeted multicultural populations. A twofold research process can be utilized to assess the public health system's capacity to serve multicultural clients in addition to obtaining consumer feedback regarding the system's accessibility. Using a qualitative methodology to evaluate the delivery system, information describing linkages, resource utilization, policy, planning and outreach activities, can provide the foundation for efforts aimed at increasing the system's level of cultural competency. A second qualitative methodology should be used to identify community issues and problems concerning access and utilization. By comparing the issues presented by multicultural populations with the system's resources and infrastructure, the validity of the information is stronger and result in more effective culturally-tailored strategies and interventions.
This presentation will describe how the Virginia Department of Health's, Multicultural Health Research Initiative utilized this two-phased qualitative approach to assess the public health systems capacity to deliver culturally competent health care services and to examine issues related to access and utilization from the perspectives of 17 different multicultural communities located throughout the state of Virginia. In addition, the research initiative presented will demonstrate the value of using qualitative research processes to obtain information that can be used to verify existing problems within the system, identify emerging community-based issues and aid in the identification of underlying contributors.
Learning Objectives: (1) Evaluate the public health system's capacity to respond effectively to the needs of multicultural populations. (2) Apply qualitative research methodology to obtain community feedback. (3) Identify underlying contributors to racial and ethnic health disparities
Keywords: Cultural Competency, Research
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Virginia Department of Health, MultiCultural Health Task Force
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.