Diversity is a word on the lips of many in the healthcare industry these days – and it is simple to see why. Ensuring that your workforce is diverse can have many positive benefits, including a broader range of perspectives when it comes to clinical decisions as well as a positive impact on patient relationships – as it means more patients can see themselves reflected in those taking care of them.
And one area where diversity is useful, in particular within your healthcare workforce, is when it comes to disease prevention. While it is essential not to generalize, epidemiological studies have shown that some diseases affect people from some groups more than others. By having a range of people working to prevent these diseases from spreading, it is possible to reduce the incidence and build trust with all sectors of society. This blog post will look at the question in more depth.
Diversity and health
Before looking at the benefits of having a diverse range of health workers, it’s first worth looking at how health conditions distribute across different groups. To start with, it is important to flag that this is the sort of claim that only makes sense in the statistical round: saying that a particular ethnic group is more likely to experience a certain form of cancer does not mean that each person in that group will experience that, but instead that the trend is in a particular direction.
That said, some strong epidemiological evidence suggests that some health conditions affect particular groups disproportionately. For example, one study found that stomach cancer is more common among black men.
Reducing incidence
It’s clear there are several reasons why diverse healthcare workers are helpful in these contexts. One such reason lies in the role of incidence reduction. For some minority groups, accessing healthcare is not an easy task. It may be that members of particular communities are at an economic disadvantage, for example, which stops them from seeking healthcare. Sometimes, there is significant mistrust between the community and those providing the information, perhaps because the former perceive the latter to be different. During the coronavirus pandemic, for example, it was found that the links between London’s Charedi Jewish community and the local healthcare authorities were not strong. Information about wearing masks and not gathering in large numbers was not being effectively distributed because the communication channels were not set up.
Often, what is required in these instances is for someone with a similar background and set of perspectives to come and explain why and how disease prevention can occur, such as through personal preventative measures or perhaps even just explaining where to go to access healthcare services. That way, the previous issues around lack of trust will likely reduce, as the person receiving the information can understand it in context.
Benefits for workers
It is also worth exploring the benefits that diversity can have on workers in the healthcare sector. When those from diverse backgrounds enter the health profession, they may find that they are in a position of isolation. They may be the only person from such a background among many and may also feel like their skills in working with patients from diverse populations are ignored. Those from diverse backgrounds considering becoming a second career nurse may well be fearing this, and it’s understandable – although institutions like Holy Family University are committed to enhancing respect for cultural beliefs.
By empowering healthcare workers to communicate effectively with patients who are also from diverse backgrounds, healthcare employers can increase staff satisfaction and retention. The knock-on benefits for patients can be substantial, as they are more likely to access a diverse workforce where they can find a healthcare professional who understands their needs and context.
In short, there are plenty of reasons to opt for a boost to diversity when building your healthcare team. And one of the main reasons in a healthcare context is that it can improve patient outcomes. By tapping into the shared backgrounds that are more likely to be present in multicultural contexts, relationships can be built, and vital information can be transmitted in a more trusting environment. Not only that, but this approach also allows a more diverse healthcare workforce to be created in the long term, which holds the potential to add up to a reduction in healthcare disparities – and a rise in the multicultural nature of groups of healthcare workers.
