Cross-Cultural Medicine.Cross-Cultural cross-cul·tur·al adj. Comparing or dealing with two or more different cultures: a cross-cultural survey; cross-cultural influences on an artist's work. Medicine Judy Ann ANN, Scotch law. Half a year's stipend over and above what is owing for the incumbency due to a minister's relict, or child, or next of kin, after his decease. Wishaw. Also, an abbreviation of annus, year; also of annates. In the old law French writers, ann or rather an, signifies a year. Bigby, MD, editor. Philadelphia: American College of Physicians The American College of Physicians (ACP) is a national organization of doctors of internal medicine (internists), physicians who specialize in the prevention, detection and treatment of illnesses in adults. , 2003. 300 pages. $38.00. ISBN ISBN abbr. International Standard Book Number ISBN International Standard Book Number ISBN n abbr (= International Standard Book Number) → ISBN m : 1-930513-02-X. The diversity of the U.S. population is expected to increase significantly within the next few decades. It is projected that by 2050, compared with the year 2000, the white, non-Hispanic population will decrease from 71.8 to 52.8%, that the Hispanic Hispanic Multiculture A person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race Social medicine Any of 17 major Latino subcultures, concentrated in California, Texas, Chicago, Miam, NY, and elsewhere population will increase from 11.4 to 24.5%, and that the Asian/Pacific islander population will increase from 3.9 to 8.2%. These changes mean that clinicians will be more likely to be called to provide medical care to ethnically diverse populations. Disparities in health status and access to health care among individuals from racial and ethnic minorities have been well documented. Several factors are responsible, including personal beliefs, attitudes, risk-taking behavior, education, occupation, housing, income, socioeconomic status socioeconomic status, n the position of an individual on a socio-economic scale that measures such factors as education, income, type of occupation, place of residence, and in some populations, ethnicity and religion. , and the doctor-patient relationship doctor-patient relationship, n in-teraction between a physician and a patient. . It is also probable that physicians' behavior contributes to the disparities in health status and the delivery of health care to different ethnic groups. There is therefore a pressing need for health care providers to be "culturally competent"--that is, to be able to deliver effective services to racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse patient populations. That is the purpose of this 300-page book. The book is divided into nine chapters. The first chapter reviews strategies for caring for patients from diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural groups. Each of the next five chapters focuses on a different group: Blacks, African-Americans, Latinos, American Indians American Indians: see Americas, antiquity and prehistory of the; Natives, Middle American; Natives, North American; Natives, South American. , Alaska Nativies, Asian-Americans, Arab-Americans, and American Muslims. Specific health issues as they relate to immigrants are discussed in a separate chapter. An entire chapter is devoted to the impact of spirituality and religion in health care. The last chapter lays the foundation for a health care system that meets the needs of a diverse population. The book is well organized, well written, and easy to read. Several cases are presented to illustrate specific points, and summaries are included at the end of each chapter. A comprehensive index facilitates the task of finding specific sections in the book. The book should be valuable for clinicians who provide care to ethnically diverse populations. Ronald C. Hamdy, MD Editor |
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