The Impact of Cultural Competence and Cultural Humility on Black Maternal Health
African American women in the United States experience disproportionately high maternal mortality rates, a crisis deeply rooted in systemic inequities and healthcare disparities. Two critical factors influencing the quality of care received by Black birthing individuals are cultural competence and cultural humility among healthcare providers. When these elements are absent, healthcare professionals may fail to acknowledge the unique needs, lived experiences, and historical mistrust that African American women often bring into medical spaces.
Cultural Competence and Cultural Humility: Defining the Concepts
Cultural competence refers to a healthcare provider’s ability to effectively deliver services that meet the social, cultural, and linguistic needs of diverse patient populations (Betancourt et al., 2003). While this approach emphasizes knowledge and skills, it can sometimes foster a checkbox mentality rather than fostering a genuine understanding of a patient’s background.
Cultural humility, on the other hand, requires continuous self-reflection and the recognition that cultural learning is a lifelong process. It emphasizes active listening, power-sharing in patient-provider interactions, and an acknowledgment of biases that may impact care delivery (Tervalon & Murray-García, 1998). Without cultural humility, healthcare providers risk perpetuating disparities by assuming a one-size-fits-all approach to maternal health.
How the Lack of DEI Initiatives Impacts Black Maternal Health
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in healthcare settings play a critical role in addressing systemic biases and improving patient outcomes. A lack of diverse representation in medical leadership, combined with implicit biases in clinical decision-making, leads to the dismissal of Black women’s pain, misdiagnoses, and delayed interventions (Howell, 2018). Research suggests that Black women are more likely to be ignored or undertreated in pain management scenarios, contributing to preventable maternal deaths (Greenwood et al., 2020).
Furthermore, historical medical mistrust, stemming from unethical medical practices such as the Tuskegee Syphilis Study and forced sterilizations, continues to affect Black women’s willingness to seek prenatal care. Without culturally competent and humble healthcare professionals, these concerns remain unaddressed, reinforcing gaps in maternal care.
The Role of Public Health Consultants in Bridging the Gap
Public health consultants play a vital role in addressing these disparities by providing expertise, strategy, and community-centered solutions. By working across different levels of public health, consultants can influence change at multiple levels:
Individual Level: Educating healthcare providers on cultural humility and implicit bias to improve patient-provider interactions.
Community Level: Partnering with local organizations to enhance health literacy and create culturally tailored maternal health programs.
Institutional Level: Assisting healthcare facilities in developing policies that prioritize equity, cultural competence, and patient advocacy.
Policy Level: Advocating for systemic reforms that address racial disparities in maternal health outcomes, including Medicaid expansion and funding for community-based interventions.
How Our Company Can Help
Our company specializes in public health consulting, offering tailored solutions to bridge the gap in Black maternal health. By providing DEI training, policy recommendations, and community engagement strategies, we empower healthcare providers and institutions to implement sustainable, equity-focused interventions.
Scheduling a consultation with us allows you to explore actionable steps to improve maternal health outcomes, create culturally responsive care models, and drive meaningful change within your organization or community. Contact us today to learn how we can collaborate in fostering a more equitable healthcare system.
References
Betancourt, J. R., Green, A. R., Carrillo, J. E., & Park, E. R. (2003). Cultural competence and health care disparities: Key perspectives and trends. Health Affairs, 24(2), 499-505.
Greenwood, B. N., Hardeman, R. R., Huang, L., & Sojourner, A. (2020). Physician–patient racial concordance and disparities in birthing mortality for newborns. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117(35), 21194-21200.
Howell, E. A. (2018). Reducing disparities in severe maternal morbidity and mortality. Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, 61(2), 387-399.
Tervalon, M., & Murray-García, J. (1998). Cultural humility versus cultural competence: A critical distinction in defining physician training outcomes in multicultural education. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 9(2), 117-125.