Eliminating Health Disparities and Promoting Cultural Awareness
Achieving better health for all communities through access to essential resources has been identified as a guiding principle for the Department of Health’s Strategic Plan. This webpage was developed to provide a central location for department employees and partners to find information and resources related to eliminating health disparities and promoting cultural awareness.
Build Organizational Capacity
Organizations can engage in practices that influence their impact on addressing health disparities. Practices such as staff training, resource distribution, and staffing decisions impact public health.
Community Engagement
Involve community members in health initiatives to foster relationships, improve assessment efforts, build capacity to positively affect the community, and enhance sustainability.
Establish & Foster Partnerships
Engage a variety of partners to collectively achieve more positive outcomes by leveraging diverse skills and expertise.
Understand Health Disparities
Understand disparities that exist to establish baselines, monitor trends over time, inform partners where to focus resources, and ensure strategies address the needs of populations experiencing health disparities.
Evidence-Based Strategies
Ensure strategies have a deliberate focus on addressing health disparities and include supportive activities to address barriers or unintended outcomes populations may face.
Evaluation
Focus on health disparities in evaluation efforts and use culturally appropriate tools and methodologies. Evaluation can reveal trends in health disparities.
Think Cultural Health
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Note: You must log in or register to take this continuing education course
Continuing education for health care administrators and providers; disaster and emergency personnel; nurses and social workers; oral health professionals; and physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants.
Poverty Simulation: SPENT Training Challenge
SPENT helps people understand the challenges and trade-offs faced by individuals with low socio-economic status.
ASTHO Learning Center Courses
You must register and log in to utilize these courses (free).
The ASTHO (Association of State and Territorial Health Officials) eLearning Center provides a centralized source of development, training, and performance content for public health learners. ASTHO’s mission is to support, equip, and advocate for state and territorial health officials in their work of advancing public’s health and well-being.
National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health Care
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Rationale and Benefits
Organizations and individuals are at various levels of awareness, knowledge, and skill acquisition along the cultural competency continuum. Completing self-assessments offers many benefits, including monitoring how effectively you are addressing the needs and preferences of culturally/linguistically diverse groups, improving family/client utilization of services, and individual strengths and areas for growth. Self-assessments are a tool, not a test, and should be used to help you consider your own skills, knowledge, and awareness in your interactions with others. https://nccc.georgetown.edu/assessments/rationale.php
Test your cultural awareness
Additional Resources
South Dakota Resources:
The SHA and SHIP serve as a strategic planning guide for the SD DOH and the many other statewide partners and stakeholders who share in the vision of Every South Dakotan Healthy and Strong. They represent the Department of Health’s commitment to addressing immediate health challenges while laying a strong foundation for long-term health equity and resilience.