Cultural Competency-Self-Assessment

Topic:  Cultural Competency-Self-Assessment 

In this assignment, you will analyze how you effectively could work with diverse groups and cultural competencies.

Word limits:  500 words (Acceptable range: from 400 to 1000 words)

(5 points)   Please complete the following cultural competency assessment questionnaire (Q1-7 below).   

What is your score? Average?

4+3+3+1+2+3+2= 18/7

= 2.571

Based on the average, you are now ready to identify the strengths in your practice and the areas that you would like to improve or strengthen.  What are your strengths (ex. high scored items) and weaknesses (ex. low scored items)?

Strengths

One of my key strengths is that I understand what diversity is, practice it, and know its effects on a community and other populations. Diversity is an important factor that helps build an open-minded society. The world has become a global village where people from different nationalities interact daily. I need to understand people from different cultural backgrounds because it helps me learn about them and their culture by understanding their needs and wants. This will help me interact with people within my community and other communities and connect with people from all walks of life. For example, I am currently a member of a charitable organization that raises funds to support local activist organizations supporting issues like civil rights, the environment, and women’s rights. The greatest strength that I can bring to a group or team is my understanding of diversity. Having grown up in a diverse community and attending a high school with students from all over the world allowed me to learn about various cultures from my peers. (Mitchell, et al., 2020). I am also a firm believer in increased access to education through scholarships and financial aid for underprivileged groups. This helps create a level playing field for all students irrespective of their race, ethnic background or gender. Diversity promotes inclusivity and good relations among the people, contributing to peace and sustainability among various communities.

Weaknesses

I also possess some weaknesses when it comes to addressing the diversity of the community and populations. First of all, I lack the necessary resources to carry out research and surveys to learn about the needs of the people. A further challenge is to establish a clear understanding between policymakers and those with knowledge and experience of individuals and populations that their views are being considered in the formulation of policies. Lastly, I do not recognize the mitigation strategies to some diversity policies that affect people differently. For example, When a policy is introduced, people can be affected differently. For example, the government's introduction of the minimum wage has different impacts on different people  (Jimenez, et al., 2019). Some benefit, as they are paid more for the same amount of work. Others lose their jobs, as it is no longer economic for companies to employ them.

Are you prepared to be a culturally competent health educator? Briefly explain your answers. 

I am prepared to become one of the most prolific health educators. When I hear "health educator," I think of people advising patients or clients on how they should take their medication and how they should exercise.  For example, a poor patient may not afford expensive medications, or a patient who works long hours may not have time for exercise or nutritious cooking meals. In this case, a health educator needs to understand these things and help the patients figure out solutions. Moreover, I have also studied cultural communication. And I understand the main differences between each culture. The Health Education Specialist Program at CSU has prepared me to be a culturally competent health educator by requiring me to take four diverse courses in health (Jimenez, et al., 2019). These courses have prepared me with the knowledge and skills required to address issues within the community and design programs that address these issues. The department has also required us to take classes in public speaking, communications, and leadership, contributing to being a culturally competent health educator. I am prepared to be a culturally competent health educator because I have all of the education required for this position and have experience working with diverse populations within the community. By taking diverse courses at CSU, I have learned how to address issues from different perspectives, which will help me when working with people from different cultures.

CULTURAL COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE-Cultural Competency Skills.  (Source, The Public Health Foundation, 2014)

TO WHAT DEGREE ARE YOU ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY

1. Describe the concept of diversity as it applies to individuals and populations (e.g., language, culture, values, socioeconomic status, geography, education, race, gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, profession, religious affiliation, mental and physical abilities, historical experiences)

1 = None I am unaware  or have very little knowledge of the skill
2 = Aware I have heard of, but have limited knowledge or ability to apply the skill
3 = Knowledgeable I am comfortable  with my knowledge  or ability to apply the skill
4 = Proficient I am very comfortable, am  an expert, or could teach this skill  to others

2. Describe the diversity of individuals and populations in a community.

1 = None I am unaware  or have very little knowledge of the skill
2 = Aware I have heard of, but have limited knowledge or ability to apply the skill
3 = Knowledgeable I am comfortable  with my knowledge  or ability to apply the skill
4 = Proficient I am very comfortable, am  an expert, or could teach this skill  to others

3. Describe the ways diversity may influence policies, programs, services, and the health of a community. 

1 = None I am unaware  or have very little knowledge of the skill
2 = Aware I have heard of, but have limited knowledge or ability to apply the skill
3 = Knowledgeable I am comfortable  with my knowledge  or ability to apply the skill
4 = Proficient I am very comfortable, am  an expert, or could teach this skill  to others

4. Recognize the contribution of diverse perspectives in developing, implementing, and evaluating policies, programs, and services that affect the health of a community. 

1 = None I am unaware  or have very little knowledge of the skill
2 = Aware I have heard of, but have limited knowledge or ability to apply the skill
3 = Knowledgeable I am comfortable  with my knowledge  or ability to apply the skill
4 = Proficient I am very comfortable, am  an expert, or could teach this skill  to others

5. Address the diversity of individuals and populations when implementing policies, programs, and services that affect the health of a community.

1 = None I am unaware  or have very little knowledge of the skill
2 = Aware I have heard of, but have limited knowledge or ability to apply the skill
3 = Knowledgeable I am comfortable  with my knowledge  or ability to apply the skill
4 = Proficient I am very comfortable, am  an expert, or could teach this skill  to others

6. Describe the effects of policies, programs, and services on different populations in a community

1 = None I am unaware  or have very little knowledge of the skill
2 = Aware I have heard of, but have limited knowledge or ability to apply the skill
3 = Knowledgeable I am comfortable  with my knowledge  or ability to apply the skill
4 = Proficient I am very comfortable, am  an expert, or could teach this skill  to others

7. Describe the value of a diverse public health workforce.

1 = None I am unaware  or have very little knowledge of the skill
2 = Aware I have heard of, but have limited knowledge or ability to apply the skill
3 = Knowledgeable I am comfortable  with my knowledge  or ability to apply the skill
4 = Proficient I am very comfortable, am  an expert, or could teach this skill  to others 

References

Mitchell, M., Baker, D., Moorosi, N., Denton, E., Hutchinson, B., Hanna, A., & Morgenstern, J. (2020, February). Diversity and inclusion metrics in subset selection. In Proceedings of the AAAI/ACM Conference on AI, Ethics, and Society (pp. 117-123).

Jimenez, M. F., Laverty, T. M., Bombaci, S. P., Wilkins, K., Bennett, D. E., & Pejchar, L. (2019). Underrepresented faculty play a disproportionate role in advancing diversity and inclusion. Nature ecology & evolution, 3(7), 1030-1033.