Culturally and linguistically appropriate health care for racial or ethnic minorities: analysis of the US Office of Minority Health's recommended standards

It is argued that the public health agency must play a pivotal role in the delivery of culturally and linguistically competent health care in the community.

Abstract

As the demographic make-up of the United States becomes more culturally diverse, there is more emphasis on providing culturally and linguistically appropriate health care to racial or ethnic minorities. This paper examines the recommended standards for culturally and linguistically competent health care delivery released by the Office of Minority Health of the US Department of Health and Human Services in December 2000. This paper presents a discussion of the impact of these standards on health care organizations in terms of structural requirements, process requirements and outcome expectations. Although the role of the public health agency is only implied in the standards, this paper argues that the public health agency must play a pivotal role in the delivery of culturally and linguistically competent health care in the community.