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Diversity Competence in Healthcare: Experts’ Views on the Most Important Skills in Caring for Migrant and Minority Patients

Author

Listed:
  • Sandra Ziegler

    (Section for Health Equity Studies & Migration, Department of General Practice and Health Services Research, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany)

  • Camilla Michaëlis

    (Danish Research Centre for Migration, Ethnicity and Health, Section for Health Services Research, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, DK-1014 Copenhagen, Denmark)

  • Janne Sørensen

    (Danish Research Centre for Migration, Ethnicity and Health, Section for Health Services Research, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, DK-1014 Copenhagen, Denmark)

Abstract

Many researchers and practitioners agree that a specific skillset helps to provide good healthcare to migrant and minority patients. The sciences offer multiple terms for what we are calling ‘diversity competence’. We assume that teaching and developing this competence is a complex, time-consuming task, yet health professionals’ time for further training is limited. Consequently, teaching objectives must be prioritised when creating a short, basic course to foster professionals’ diversity competence. Therefore, we ask: ‘What knowledge, attitudes and skills are most important to enable health professionals to take equally good care of all patients in evermore diverse, modern societies that include migrant and (ethnic) minority patients?’ By means of a modified, two-round Delphi study, 31 clinical and academic migrant health experts from 13 European countries were asked this question. The expert panel reached consensus on many competences, especially regarding attitudes and practical skills. We can provide a competence ranking that will inform teaching initiatives. Furthermore, we have derived a working definition of ‘diversity competence of health professionals’, and discuss the advantages of the informed and conscious use of a ‘diversity’ instead of ‘intercultural’ terminology.

Suggested Citation

  • Sandra Ziegler & Camilla Michaëlis & Janne Sørensen, 2022. "Diversity Competence in Healthcare: Experts’ Views on the Most Important Skills in Caring for Migrant and Minority Patients," Societies, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-23, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsoctx:v:12:y:2022:i:2:p:43-:d:767017
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Metzl, Jonathan M. & Hansen, Helena, 2014. "Structural competency: Theorizing a new medical engagement with stigma and inequality," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 126-133.
    2. Sharon Leiba-O'Sullivan, 1999. "The Distinction between Stable and Dynamic Cross-cultural Competencies: Implications for Expatriate Trainability," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 30(4), pages 709-725, December.
    3. Mead, Nicola & Bower, Peter, 2000. "Patient-centredness: a conceptual framework and review of the empirical literature," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 51(7), pages 1087-1110, October.
    4. Paul E Farmer & Bruce Nizeye & Sara Stulac & Salmaan Keshavjee, 2006. "Structural Violence and Clinical Medicine," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 3(10), pages 1-6, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Gold, Andreas W. & Perplies, Clara & Bozorgmehr, Kayvan, 2026. "Nurse-led models of care and their potential to improve primary healthcare for refugees in Germany: A qualitative multiple-case study," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    2. Costas S. Constantinou & Panayiota Andreou & Monica Nikitara & Alexia Papageorgiou, 2022. "Cultural Competence in Healthcare and Healthcare Education," Societies, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-4, November.
    3. Marja Nesterova & Agostino Portera & Marta Milani, 2022. "Diversity And Intercultural Competence For Sustainable Community Development," Baltic Journal of Economic Studies, Publishing house "Baltija Publishing", vol. 8(5).
    4. Costas S. Constantinou & Monica Nikitara, 2023. "The Culturally Competent Healthcare Professional: The RESPECT Competencies from a Systematic Review of Delphi Studies," Societies, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-22, May.

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