Health equity can be achieved when all individuals receive an equal opportunity to reach their full potential for health and well-being, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, or socioeconomic status. It involves healthcare providers ensuring everyone has access to high-quality healthcare, healthy living conditions, and sufficient resources for good health. 

To raise awareness about health equity and reduce healthcare disparities that affect minority populations worldwide, National Minority Health Month is observed every year in April. Throughout the month, people organize events and activities to provide education about health inequities, including poverty, discrimination, lack of resources, and lack of healthcare access, among minority populations. 

National Minority Health Month aims to address the socioeconomic and environmental factors that cause healthcare disparities and take relevant action to improve health equity.

Improving Health Equity

Health equity can be improved by addressing the underlying causes of healthcare disparities. First, access to high-quality healthcare is essential for achieving health equity. Healthcare access can be enhanced by increasing the number of healthcare providers in underprivileged communities, expanding health insurance coverage, and improving the quality of healthcare services. 

Efforts to increase health literacy through education and resources are also instrumental in promoting healthy behaviours and awareness. 

Cultural competence is another essential factor for improving health equity. It involves delivering personalized healthcare to meet the needs of people with varied backgrounds, beliefs, values, and behaviours. It requires providers to understand and respect the cultural and linguistic differences of the diverse populations they serve. 

Addressing Language Barriers in Healthcare 

Language barriers in healthcare lead to poor health outcomes due to preventable medical errors, low adherence to treatments or medical advice, poor health-seeking behaviour, lack of confidence in healthcare, and low patient satisfaction. Addressing language barriers is critical so that all patients can understand their health problems, treatment options, and medical instructions and receive proper care. This can help promote health equity and reduce disparities. 

Tips for Improving Communication with Limited English Proficient Patients 

Many patients may speak foreign languages and may not be proficient in English. You must prioritize health communication with such patients to ensure they receive high-quality care and understand crucial medical information. 

Here are tips for developing a language access plan and improving health communication with limited English proficient patients:

• Respect the culture and needs of the people you serve: Train your staff for cultural competence to respect all cultures, beliefs, and values. Assign points of contact for patients. Also, use methods like the “I speak” card to help identify what language an individual speaks.
• Provide translated materials: Use translated patient education materials like brochures and flyers to supplement health communication. 
• Use medical interpreting services: Offer medical interpreting services through trained in-person, phone, or video interpreters. They can help patients understand medical information, discuss their problems, and ask questions.
• Hire bilingual healthcare providers: Staff who are fluent in multiple languages can help address language barriers in healthcare, and their cultural competencies are valuable as well. 
• Use technology: Software tools such as translation apps can help translate medical information into different languages and effectively address linguistic disparities in healthcare. 
• Simplify communication: Speak slowly, use simple language, and avoid medical jargon. Use visual aids such as pictures or videos to clarify concepts and check if your patient understands the information.
• Be patient: Listen to all your patients’ concerns and questions, and give them the time they need to express themselves.

Join the MDBriefCase Community

Join the MDBriefCase community for free and discover various healthcare-related courses. Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest clinical recommendations, developments, and emerging therapies to provide quality care to your patients, regardless of their cultural or linguistic background.