Cultural Competence in
Refugee Health Care
Lance A. Rasbridge, PhD
Coordinator, Refugee Outreach Program
Parkland Hospital
Lance.Rasbridge@phhs.org
Culture
• Definition- “complex whole…”
• Individuals are part of many different
cultures
• Influences an individual’s health beliefs,
practices, behaviors, and even outcomes
of medical treatments
Competence
• Acknowledgement of the importance of
culture
• Knowledge is not encyclopedic
• Ongoing, not static
• Based on the fundamental of cultural
relativism
Why is Cultural Competence in
Health Care Important?
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Reduce barriers to access
Improve adherence to treatment
Improve health outcomes
Eliminate health disparities
Ethics- Patient-centered care
Caveats
• Diversity within all cultures, be careful of
stereotyping
• Culture is dynamic, especially in the
process of acculturation
• Be prepared to negotiate or suggest
alternatives to undesirable practices
Southeast Asian Refugees
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Cambodians
Laotians
Vietnamese
Hmong, Montagnards
• Burmese ethnic
minorities
• (Bhutanese)
Southeast Asian Medical Beliefs
and Practices- Etiology
1. Spiritual- Buddhist, folk
2. Natural- balance, humours,
yin/yang
3. Western- biomedical
Buddhism
• Symbols
“Thanakaa”
• Betel nut
• Nutrition
Coining
Cupping
Pinching
Traditional medicines
Chinese medicine
Postpartum practices
Biomedical setting