1. Cultural responses to Wellness Cristina S. Barroso, DrPH University of Texas School of Public Health, Brownsville Regional Campus Presented at the Texas Association of School Based Health Centers 14 th Annual Child & Adolescent Conference February 12, 2010

2. What is culture? What is wellness?

3. WHAT IS PUBLIC HEALTH?

4. Public Health The science and practice of protecting and improving the health of a community, as by preventive medicine, health education, control of communicable diseases, application of sanitary measures, and monitoring of environmental hazards. The American Heritage Dictionary

5. Public Health System of the 21st Century Mgmt Care Orgs Home Health Parks Economic Development Mass Transit Employers Nursing Homes Mental Health Drug Treatment Civic Groups CHCs Laboratory Facilities Hospitals EMS Community Centers Doctors Health Dept Churches Philanthropist Elected Officials Tribal Health Schools Police Fire Corrections Environmental Health Lloyd Kolbe, 2007

6. Community Functional spatial units that meet basic needs for sustenance Units of patterned social interaction Symbolic units of collective identity People coming together to act politically to make changes Hunter, 1975; Eng & Parker, 1994

7. Community = Multidimensional System People & organizations Consciousness Actions Contexts

8. Socio-Ecological framework

9. Mission of Public Health “…fulfilling society’s interest in assuring conditions in which people can be healthy…” IOM, 1988

10. Principles of Community Well- Being Focus is community Organized efforts to identify “problems” Decisions on how to address “problems”

11. Principles of Community Well- Being Decisions on who will take action Power to decide & take action is within the community Community participation/engagement is key

12. Principles of Community Well- Being Social Cohesion/social capital is necessary to create & sustain actions Social cohesion (glue): on-going process of developing a community of shared values, shared challenges & equal opportunity Social capital: “resource” for public good

13. Community Building Community is created or built, or not, with: Actions Consciousness concerning ourselves, others, & issues Relationships Interchange between members; which changes them within the course of coming together

14. Healthy, Wealthy, & Wise!

16. Cultural Diversity We All Have It! Obvious manifestations Ethnicity/race Language Gender Religion

17. Cultural Diversity Less obvious manifestations – Age – Education – Occupation – Economic status – Sexual orientation – Disabilities

18. What is Culture? Total sum of the way of living – Values – Beliefs – Standards – Language – Thinking patterns – Behavioral norms – Communications styles Guides decisions & actions of a “group” through time

19. Expression of Culture in Health Beliefs Defines & categorizes health & illness Offers explanatory models for health & illness Defines the specific scope of practice for interventionists (prevention, healers)

20. WHAT IS CULTURAL SENSITIVITY?