Cultural Competence in Cancer Care: A Health Care Professional’s Passport 

This Pocket Guide is designed as a tool for Health Care Professionals working with racial/ethnic minority, and disadvantaged patients and families and contributes to the “war on cancer”.  It augments existing information on cultural competency as a factor in prevention, early detection, screening and intervention of cancer among racial/ethnic and socio-economic disadvantaged groups.   

Additional information can be located at http://iccnetwork.org/pocketguide/

      HRET Disparities Toolkit    

The Toolkit is a Web-based tool that provides hospitals, health systems, clinics, and health plans information and resources for systematically collecting race, ethnicity, and primary language data from patients.  The toolkit can be located from http://www.hretdisparities.org/ 

      NIDA Goes Back to School    

NIDA Goes Back to School is a source of free information about the latest science-based drug abuse publications and teaching materials. Teachers, can find specific curricula and other teaching aids listed on these pages. Hard copies of materials can be ordered for no charge.  Parents can find the latest research findings on drug abuse and addiction. Fact sheets and booklets present data based on the science.  Many publications are available in Spanish. 

To locate these materials, please visit www.backtoschool.drugabuse.gov.

      AHRQ National Healthcare Disparities Report (2006)

The report presents, in chart format, findings on quality of and access to health care in the general U.S. population and among priority populations. It focuses on four components of quality—effectiveness, patient safety, timeliness, and patient centeredness—and two components of access—facilitators and barriers to health care and health care utilization.

The full document can be accessed at http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/measurix.htm

       Health Disparities – A Report Prepared by Maryland Legislative Services 

Published in January 2007, the Department of Legislative Services prepared this report due to the Maryland General Assembly’s continuing interest in health disparities.  The report examines the extent of health disparities and emerging health disparities issues in Maryland.  

A PDF of the publication can be accessed here.

       Key Facts: Race, Ethnicity and Medical Care, 2007 Update 

The Kaiser Family Foundation's updated version of Key Facts: Race, Ethnicity and Medical Care, 2007 Update, includes data on the uninsured and access to care by race/ethnicity as well as information about the disproportionate effect that specific conditions such as diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and asthma have on racial and ethnic minority populations in the U.S.   

A PDF of the publication can be accessed here.

   Maryland Cancer Survey - Montgomery County Latino Cancer Survey:  A Survey of Cancer Screening and Behavioral Risk Factors among Latinos in Montgomery County, Maryland in Summer 2005 

The Montgomery County Latino Cancer Survey was conducted by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine at the University of Maryland, Baltimore in collaboration with The Latino Health Initiative of the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services.   

A PDF of the publication can be accessed here.

      In the Nation’s Compelling Interest: Ensuring Diversity in the Health Care Workforce   

This report examines institutional and policy-level strategies – defined as specific policies and programs of health professions schools, their associations and accreditation bodies, health care systems/organizations, and state and federal governments – to increase diversity among health professionals.

Click here for a summary of the report.

   AHRQ National Healthcare Disparities Report December 2005  

Themes highlighted in this year’s report are as follows: disparities still exist; some disparities are diminishing; opportunities for improvement remain; and information about disparities is improving.  

The full document can be accessed at http://www.qualitytools.ahrq.gov 

Click here for a summary of the report. 

   AHRQ National Healthcare Disparities Report 2003  

This historic report, the first annual report on healthcare disparities, is intended to provide a balanced summary of the state of disparities in the United States. 

Click here for the report.  

   “Missing Persons: Minorities in the Health Professions” Sullivan Commission Report, September 2004  

This report provides the nation with a blueprint for achieving diversity in the health professions. The full document can be accessed. 

Click here for a summary of the report.  

   Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Diagnosis of HIV/AIDS – 33 States, 2001-2004 (MMWR, February 10, 2006) 

This report describes racial/ethnic disparities in diagnoses of HIV/AIDS during 2001-2004 and reported to CDC through June 2005 by 33 states that used confidential, name-based reporting of HIV and AIDS cases for at least 4 years.  

The article can be accessed at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5505a1.htm  

   The Effect of Race and Sex on Physicians' Recommendations for Cardiac Catheterization  

This article presents survey results which suggest that the race and sex of a patient independently influence how physicians manage chest pain.  

The article can be accessed at http://www.fammed.wisc.edu/pds/one/raceeffect.pdf

   Health Service Access, Use, and Insurance Coverage Among American Indians/Alaska Natives and Whites: What Role Does the Indian Health Service Play?”  

This article is a comparison of access and utilization of health services among American Indians/Alaska Natives (AIANs) with that among non-Hispanic Whites which showed that while the Indian Health Service partially offsets lack of insurance for some uninsured AIANs, important needs were potentially unmet.  

The article abstract can be accessed at http://www.ajph.org/cgi/content/abstract/94/1/53  

   Speaker's Kit, part of "Why the Difference? An Initiative on Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Medical Care"  

The materials in this kit aim to raise physician awareness about disparities in medical care, beginning with cardiac care. 

The kit can be accessed at http://www.kff.org/whythedifference/speakerkit.htm

     Language Services Resource Guide for Health Care Providers 

This guide is designed to aid health care providers, administrators, interpreters, translators, and others in improving language access and improving health care for their clients and patients.  Chapters include: language service resource locator, interpreter training programs directory, multilingual tools and resources, health care symbols, and guide to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office to Civil Rights Resources. 

Click here to access the document.

    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Minority

       HealthPocket Guide to Minority Health Resources 

This Pocket Guide provides minority health resources on:  the Office of Minority Health, Federal Contacts, State Contacts, Federal Resources, National Organizations, Health Materials, and Colleges and Universities. 

Click here to access the Pocket Guide.

  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Minority Health

     National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in

     Health Care

Published in 2001, this executive summary of Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in Health Care recommends national standards for using CLAS in health care settings. Based on an analytical review of key laws, regulations, contracts, and standards currently in use by Federal and State agencies and other national organizations, these standards were developed and refined with significant input from a nationwide public comment process and the guidance of two national project advisory committees.

Click here to access CLAS in Health Care in English.

Click here to access CLAS in Health Care in Spanish.