This book applies the concept of cultural safety to the field of health psychology in a US context as a means to achieve health equity. First developed in New Zealand by Mori midwives, cultural safety can be understood as both a philosophy and a way of working within a social model of health as an alternative approach to understanding health and illness. Health, social, and human service professionals are at the forefront of interactions with a range of people who often experience disparities in health and social outcomes.

In thirteen chapters, the authors explore the social determinants of health; the practices and pitfalls of intercultural communication; and community capacity, resilience, and strengths as correctives to discourses of deficiency. The book concludes with a comparative look at cultural safety in different national contexts, and a discussion of the value of critical reflective practice. Complete with chapter objectives, scenarios, suggested readings and films, and questions for critical thinking, this book is an invaluable resource for students and practitioners alike in health psychology and related fields, and a vital contribution to the literature on cultural safety.

Applies the concept of cultural safety embraced by health professionals in New Zealand, Australia, and Canada to a U.S. context with cultural differences broadly defined to include race, religion, sexuality, gender, age or socioeconomic attributes Adopts a decolonizing framework that links health disparities to histories of colonization Includes pedagogical features such as chapter objectives, scenarios, and discussion questions, making it an accessible resource for students and practitioners alike

Autorentext

Pauline B. Thompson is Professor of Psychology at the Pennsylvania State University Brandywine Campus, USA. A veteran of the U.S. Navy, she has held academic appointments at Flinders University and the University of South Australia in Australia and Waikato University in New Zealand. Kerry Taylor is Associate Professor at Flinders University in South Australia. She has worked and taught in Indigenous health and education, including cultural awareness/safety teaching, for over 30 years.

Inhalt

1. Introduction and Terminology.- 2. Culture-focused Frameworks for Service Delivery.- 3. Cultural Safety.- 4. Models of Health and Wellbeing.- 5. History Taking.- 6. Consuming Research.- 7. Determinants of Health.- 8. Stats and Maps.- 9. Special Interests and Priority Areas.- 10. Capacity and Resilience.- 11. Intercultural Communication.- 12. Comparable Contexts.- 13. Reflection as a Tool of Culturally Safe Practice.