Cultural brokering is a needed skill and knowledge that care coordinators, social workers, community health educators, physicians, nurses, and other public health staff can learn and implement based on their own cultural identify and the community they serve.
I identified cultural brokering as a historical tool, which was first implemented by anthropologists in order to effectively communicate with natives of specific regions in Africa. This is a tool and/or skill that is easily transferable to the 21st Century. Because of our multicultural, cross-cultural make up, cultural brokering would be a tremendous asset for health care organizations in helping patients navigate the health care system, but also be a key tool for health care providers to learn more about their patients. Cultural brokering is a highly sophisticated communication tool between the community and providers because it does not only breakdown communication barriers, but also has the potential to eliminate misunderstanding, profiling, generalization, and stereotyping.
Lets look at some of the most growing populations in the US, according
to the Pew Hispanic Center (www.pewhispanic.org),
the Hispanic or Latino population, already the nation's largest ethnic group
will triple in size and will account for almost of the nation's population
growth from 2005 through 2050. Hispanics will make up 29% of the U.S.
population in 2050, compared with 14% in 2005. Hispanics immigrants currently
comprise 54% of all Hispanic adults in the United States (Lopez &
Minushkin, 2008).
According
to statistics by the Pew Hispanic Center (2006), 64.1% of the Hispanic resident
population in the United States is Mexican, 9% are Puerto Rican, 3.4% are
Cuban, and 3.1% are Guatemalan (see http://pewhispanic.org/files/
factsheets/hispanics2006/Table-5.pdf for a complete breakdown of this
demographic information).
Clearly,
Latinos/Hispanics in the United States are a heterogeneous population and the
diversity within various Latino/Hispanic groups is as pronounced as differences
between Latinos/ Hispanics and other ethnic groups.
These differences
include…
- Language nuances
- Cultural values and beliefs
- Educational attainment
- Attitudes towards social issues affecting their communities
Additionally,
there may be significant individuals from different regions within the same
country. For example, while Spanish is the primarily language spoken in Mexico,
there are some regions of Mexico where individuals speak indigenous languages
(Schmal, n.d.).
Therefore,
given the tremendous amount of diversity that exists among Latino/Hispanic individuals,
it is important to understand the impact that this diversity has on the
Latino/Hispanic communities seeking a mutual understanding of each other’s
needs. Each Central American and Latin American country has its own
unique history which may impact how individuals resolve conflicts and seek
solutions to a problem.
How is cultural brokering defined?
There
are many different definitions of cultural brokering. Cultural brokering can be defined as…”bridging, linking or
mediating between groups or persons of different cultural
backgrounds for the purpose of reducing conflict or producing change” (Jezewski,
1990).
What is a cultural broker?
One
who advocates on behalf of another individual or group, (Jezewki
& Sotnik, 2001). A critical requisite for a cultural
broker is having respect and trust of the community.
Who is the cultural broker? It can be a person who is well informed
and knowledgeable about the communities’ needs, concerns, people, etc. it does
not have to be a person from the same culture or community. However, he/she must understand the
community’s unique cultural differences, values, respect, and trust (NCCC, 2004).
According to the National Center for Cultural Competence, a cultural broker should meet the following prerequisites:
Characteristics
& Attributes of a
Cultural Broker:
- Trust & respect of the community
- Knowledge of values, beliefs & traditions
- Social practices of cultural groups
- Experience resolving and finding alternative solutions to social disagreement
Cultural brokering …
- Honors & respects culturaldifferences within communities
- Is community-driven
- Is provided in a safe, non-judgmental and confidential manner
Knowledge,
Skills & Areas of Awareness for Cultural Brokers
AWARENESS
- Own cultural identify
- Cultural identify of members of diverse communities
- Social political & economic factors affecting diverse communities
KNOWLEDGE
- Values, beliefs & practices related tocommunication, relations, and well-beingof cultural groups
- Social, medical, health care and mental health care systems
SKILLS
- Communicate in cross-cultural context
- Communicate in 2 or more languages
- Interpret and/or translate information
- Advocate with & on behalf of individual & their families
- Negotiate solutions, options, and communication systems
- Mediate & manage conflict
Implementing
& Sustaining Cultural Brokering Programs
- Create a vision and ensure the commitment ofleadership
- Get buy in and acceptance among stakeholders & constituency groups.
- Develop a logic model or framework for the program
- Identify and allocate resources
About the Author:
Helen Dao, MHA
Public Health Consultant
Dao Management Consulting Services, Inc.
Connecting Providers and Communities
201-448-2046
helen@daoconsultingservices.com
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