Impact of culture on health
Medical professionals and caregivers are morally required to provide the highest quality of care to their patients. In today’s society, the quality of care is determined not only by the treatment and medication given, but also the approach and processes used by the caregivers when treating the patient. The quality of care is therefore influenced by the measures taken to treat the patient, the environment the patient is treated in, and the attitude and professionalism displayed by the caregivers throughout the process. Current trends in occupational therapy have created an environment where cultural awareness and responsiveness helps caregivers to provide the highest level of care to all patients regardless of their differences. In speech therapy, cultural responsiveness helps to bridge the gap between the patient and the caregiver and facilitates faster recovery.
Speech therapy involves actions undertaken by a speech language pathologist to asses and treat speech disorders and other communication problems. Speech therapists rely on techniques such as language intervention activities, articulation therapy and other types of speech therapies that are respective of the language or speech disorder being treated (Luo, 2019). Patients that require speech therapy comprise of individuals with speech disorders that developed during childhood and also speech impairments resulting from injuries or illnesses like brain injury and stroke. patients who seek out speech therapy early and are treated at home with the involvement of family members or caregivers have proven to be more effective (Aota, 2013). This is especially because the patient is treated in a familiar environment that helps to speed up the recovery process. Since familiarity helps to speed up the process, speech therapists should therefore employ the use of culturally respective practices to build trust and make it easier for the patients to recall their verbal skills.
Since culture greatly impacts the recovery process, it raises the questions; what impact does the speech therapist’s culture have on their ability to help their patients? When treating patients, what should be given more priority, the general code of conduct or the patient’s preferences as influenced by their culture? Answering this question will require the speech therapist to gain knowledge on the impact that customs and traditions have on the patient’s attitudes towards treatments used and also how to use these customs and traditions to improve the overall quality of care the patient receives. Based on what I have learned, a lot of emphasis is placed on the impact that the patient’s culture has on their willingness and attitude towards the treatment method used (Andrews et al, 2017). I therefore plan to conduct more research on how the speech therapist’s culture impacts the quality of care offered as well as the attitude that the caregiver portrays to patients from different cultural backgrounds. Another step I intend to take is learn about different people’s culture, how their customs and traditions differ, and how to use these differences to offer better care not only in speech therapy but when offering any form of care to patients under my care.
Occupational therapy ethics code seeks to create awareness on multiculturalism and how cultural responsiveness can help to improve the quality of care. When treating communication impairments, speech therapists should strive to be culturally competent and use a combination of different cultural variables to determine the most appropriate treatment method to use depending on the patient being treated (ASHA, 2020). Since different societies have embraced diversity, speech therapists ought to study the different cultures and develop approaches that are tailored to meet the needs of each respective patient. Some of the factors that the speech therapist should consider include the patient’s age, ethnicity, type of disability, gender identity and other factors influenced by the customs and traditions the patient observes.
There have been major breakthroughs resulting from occupational therapy in regards to cultural responsiveness and sensibility. Speech therapists use various cultural variables that are respective of the patient’s culture to establish trust with the patient and encourage them to open up. The relationship established makes it easier for the therapist to diagnose the patient and develop treatment programs that will facilitate recovery (Lau et al, 2012). Since the treatment approaches are influenced by the patient’s culture, the familiarity makes it easier for the patient to regain their verbal skills as the treatment is done in a familiar environment. Another advantage of structuring the treatment around the patient’s customs and traditions is that it helps the speech therapist to communicate with patients on a level that they can understand. When dealing with patients from poor backgrounds, understanding the customs and traditions practiced by the patient will help to identify treatments that may not be applicable (Barailo, 2019). A good example is the case where the patient seeking therapy does not understand the language commonly used by the therapist. To overcome the communication barrier, therapists rely on the customs and traditions that are familiar to the patient to help determine the most suitable language and other treatment methods to use (Lucas & Washington, 2020). While imposing a foreign language may hinder recovery, using the traditional language makes it easier for the patient to express themselves and also to practise the therapy sessions designed by the speech therapist.
There are however disparities in occupational therapy that negatively affect the quality care that people in marginalized groups receive. Latinos for instance have sub-optimal health status and have limited access to personal doctors and nurses. African Americans on the other hand lack adequate access to oral health and do not always get the medication they need to manage their conditions (Lubinski & Matteliano, 2008). Other challenges that individuals in marginalized groups face include lack of access to mental health facilities, lack of insurance covers, difficulty accessing specialty care and inability to access routine visits from caregivers. The disparities make it difficult for individuals in the marginalized group to access or afford the care they need to manage and treat conditions such as speech impairment.
However, there are various practices and policies in occupational therapy that promote positive cultural responsiveness and health. A good example is the Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics and Ethics Standards that guide the caregivers’ moral practices. When implemented, the standards help care givers like speech therapist on how to identify the best approach to take when treating patients and also how to go about resolving conflicts. The guidelines also help in decision making as the therapist has a point of reference and guidance on how to navigate around sensitive issues. Speech therapists, like all caregivers should therefore seek out the most applicable, culturally influenced treatment methods to offer high quality care in a way that is respective of the patient’s culture. the goal should always be to offer the highest quality of care both in the treatment and approach taken to treat the patient.
References
American Occupational Therapy Association, (2013) “How can occupational therapy strive towards culturally sensitive practices?” retrieved from, https://miota.org/docs/FAQCulturalSensitivity.pdf
American Speech Language Hearing Association,(2020)“Cultural Competence” retrieevd from, https://www.hindawi.com/journals/oti/2017/2179781/
Andrews B, Carey T, Jiyane K and Mashele S. (2017) “Exploring cultural competence amongst OT students” Occupational Therapy International, retrieved from, https://www.hindawi.com/journals/oti/2017/2179781/
Barailo, Aurora. (2019). Importance of Cultural Awareness in Speech Language Pathology Education. In BSU Honors Program Theses and Projects. Item 353. Available at: https://vc.bridgew.edu/honors_proj/ 353
Lau M, Lin H, Flores G. (2012) Racial/ethnic disparities in health and health care among U.S. adolescents. Health Serv Res. 2012 Oct;47(5):2031-59. doi: 10.1111/j.1475- 6773.2012.01394.x. Epub 2012 Mar 14. PMID: 22417169; PMCID: PMC3513617.
Lubinski R and Matteliano A (2008) “Speech language pathology” University of Buffalo, retrieved from, https://www.mghihp.edu/sites/default/files/about-us/diversity/guide- cultural-competence-slp.pdf
Lucas C and Washington S, (2020) “Understanding systematic racism in the United States: Educating our students and ourselves” American Occupational Therapy Association, retrieevd from, https://www.aota.org/-/media/Corporate/Files/Publications/CE- Articles/CEA_October_2020.pdf
Luo K, (2019) “What is speech therapy?” Health-line. Retrieved from, https://www.healthline.com/health/speech-therapy
