Cultural Competence Mini-Series: Social Determinants of Health and Health Disparities

Cultural competence is essential to achieving the UCM mission of patient-centered care. The Cultural Competence Course supports the People objective of the UCM Annual Operating Plan “to build a culturally and linguistically competent organization.” Additionally, participants will enhance their skills and knowledge to work more effectively in a multicultural setting. This activity is open to employees of the University of Chicago Medicine and Biological Sciences Division. All course graduates become Cultural Competence Advocates who serve as resources in meetings and their departments. Advocates also have an opportunity to become Cultural Competence Trainers. Cultural Competence Trainers partner with Diversity, Inclusion, & Equity to deliver training in their departments. This session is part of a series sponsored by the Urban Health Initiative Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity. Learn more here! This session will focus on the social determinants of health and health disparities using local and national data. Participants will apply an equity lens for addressing health and healthcare disparities in a healthcare setting.

After this activity, participants will be able to:

• Define social determinants of health and health disparities;
• Describe health disparities using both local and national data;
• Discuss how to use an equity lens to address health and healthcare disparities.