Task: This  assignment is designed to focus on cultural practices that might be viewed as a barrier to communication or delivery of "best practice" in healthcare as defined by Western Medicine. The task has four major components:  1) Finding a research article that describes a barrier to communication or healthcare delivery in a healthcare setting due to differences in cultural practices, 2) Reading the article and identifying key content in the article (as described below) and reflecting upon the information, 3) Writing a fact-based, focused paper to address the content areas, and 4) Group Activity - presentation and discussion.

Component 1: Article Selection

Search and find a research or review article on culture and communication in healthcare via UW Library databases. If you are unfamiliar with searching for research articles, start by Familiarize yourself with the "How do I" web page on the Library web site at http://www.lib.washington.edu/help/howdoi/ particularly the "Research/Find Materials" section.  You will be able to find many articles to examine via a variety of databases.  If the database says "UW Restricted", just click on the UW Restricted link and you will be asked for your UW Net ID and password.  I have successfully searched Web of Science and PubMed for articles using the key terms "culture communication healthcare".  For example, using those terms,  PubMed identified over 6000 articles. If you are a student member of the American Speech, Language, Hearing Association (ASHA), you may find some appropriate research articles via their web site.  NOTE:  Case studies are NOT ideal for this project, so please avoid them.  If you need help getting started on your search, please contact the course TA. 

Example articles
A) Shahid S., Finn L.D., & Thompson S.C. (2009). Barriers to participation of Aboriginal people in cancer care: communication in the hospital setting. Medical Journal of Australia, 190(10):574-9.

B) Isaacson N., Roemheld-Hamm B., Crosson J.C., Dicicco-Bloom B., & Winston C.A. (2009). Organizational culture influences health care workers' influenza immunization behavior. Family Medicine, 41(3):202-7.

C) Mian S.I., Brauer P.M. (2009) Dietary education tools for South Asians with diabetes. Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 70(1):28-35.

Component 2:  Key Content to Identify

1. What is/are the culture(s) represented in your paper?
2. What cultural practice(s) present a challenge or barrier to healthcare delivery or communication? – Use the definition of cultural practices that was provided in class.
3. What is the resulting impact on healthcare delivery, for both patients and clinicians?
4. What resolution or adaptation to the barrier, if any, does the article describe in response to the cultural/communication challenge?
5. What is your assessment of the information and conclusions presented in the article? (Do NOT evaluate the methodology – i.e., whether or not is well-designed research).

Component 3:  Writing Assignment

Your paper should be a fact-based write up.  You should use subheadings and succinctly yet thoroughly address each of the points listed below.  Keep in mind that you must provide sufficient information so that the reader is able to evaluate the key content without reading the article

1. Authors and title of article and it's publication source.  USE APA formatting (American Psychological Association)(examples above are in that format) – General statement regarding focus of paper
2. Description of the culture(s) represented in your paper
3. Description of the cultural practice(s) that are described in the article.
4. Description of how the cultural practice(s) present a challenge or barrier to healthcare delivery, for both patients and clinicians?
5. Describe how the authors attempt to resolve or adapt to the challenge/barrier
6. Present your assessment of the article's content, including the situation that was described and the resolution or adaptation that was recommended or achieved.  Do you have other ideas for how the challenge might have been handled? 

Component 4: Group Activity - Presentation and Group DiscussionOn the day the paper is due, you will be meeting in peer groups to discuss the article that you selected.  You will be responsible for handing out the reference for the article on a single piece of paper (i.e., the authors, title and publication source for the article), and presenting orally a synopsis of the information described above in Component 3, items 2-5.  You will only have 3 minutes for this presentation. Your peers will evaluate your presentation as follows:  1) 3 points – excellent, 2) 2 points – adequate, 3) 1 point – poor (part of information missing), 4) 0 points – no presentation

Audience: Instructor/TA

Paper Length: Not more than 3 pages

Paper Format: Typed, double-spaced, 1 inch margins, stapled, minimum 12 Font

Sources: Materials as described

Grading: 50 Points (paper 47 points, presentation 3 points)  See general grading criteria and corresponding guidelines.  Print out Culturally Responsive Healthcare Grading Form and attach to the front of your paper.   

Drafts: Retain a copy of all drafts and the final paper for your records

Due Date:  3/1/2010 In class!  On that day we will have a group activity to share your information.