Diversity

Ensuring cultural competence in new PA graduates

Wanda C. Gonsalves, MD February 13, 2012

The author urges PA educators to ensure that their students are prepared to deliver culturally competent care and suggests resources that can help.

Can an ACE inhibitor reduce the risk of  developing progressive renal disease?

Lauren Jewett, MMS, PA-C, Mark E. Archambault, DHSc, PA-C September 15, 2011

Using CCBs to treat hypertension in African Americans based on the perception that they have increased efficacy may do little to prevent ESRD.

The multicolored majority

Dawn Colomb-Lippa, MHS, PA-C July 18, 2011

I recently read an article that predicted a white minority in the United States by the year 2023. My reaction: totally awesome!

Eliminating health disparities: What works?—July 2011

Jim Anderson, PA-C, ATC July 13, 2011

Work is under way to better understand the term "health equity," how it is are used, and how it can be integrated into academic training environments and clinical practice.

Eliminating health disparities: What works?—June 2011

Jim Anderson, PA-C, ATC June 20, 2011

The author uses some recent literature, and events at the AAPA House of Delegates last month, to argue that social determinants of health demand the clinician's attention.

Oral health: Caring for  primary  care patients

From CSAC, the Clinical and Scientific Affairs Council of the AAPA May 12, 2011

By incorporating preventive oral health practices within their primary care practices, PAs have an opportunity to address health disparities and improve all aspects of their patients' health.

Protection for LGBT PA students

Diane Bruessow, RPA-C, DFAAPA May 05, 2011

No credentialing provisions require PA programs and their affiliate clinical sites to include sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression in their nondiscrimination policies or to offer LGBT faculty and students equal benefits.

Eliminating health disparities: What works?—May 2011

Jim Anderson, PA-C, ATC May 03, 2011

Here's a quick run-down of this year's Las Vegas CME topics related to diversity, health disparities, and building in cultural competencies.

Keeping up with LGBT health: Why it matters to your patients

Diane Bruessow, RPA-C, DFAAPA March 03, 2011

"My teachable moments," says the author, "didn't happen in PA school or even as a practicing PA but rather while my partner or I have been sitting in a paper gown on an exam table."

Eliminating health disparities: What works?—December 2010

Jim Anderson, PA-C, ATC December 09, 2010

With a stylish Internet splash, the US Department of Health and Human Services has rolled out Healthy People 2020, placing further (and needed) emphasis on health disparities and social determinants of health.

Ask a Librarian!—November 2010

Jim Anderson, PA-C, ATC, Susan Klawansky, MLS, AHIP November 10, 2010

This month's topic is the variety of resources available for working with patients from different cultures and ethnic groups.

Employment nondiscrimination for LGBT PAs

Diane Bruessow, RPA-C, DFAAPA November 01, 2010

As a physician assistant (PA) who is also a lesbian, I am one among many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people who observe National Coming Out Day on October 11. Its purpose is to encourage discussion on the challenges of living openly among sexual and gender minorities and our supporters. This week's JAAPA blog is intended to bring these discussions into the realm of professional practice for LGBT PAs.

Eliminating health disparities: What works?—October 2010

Jim Anderson, PA-C, ATC October 27, 2010

This month's column spotlights Brian Smedley, an editor of the Institute of Medicine's "Unequal Treatment" in 2003 and now the director of the Health Policy Institute at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies.

Eliminating health disparities: What works?—September 2010

Jim Anderson, PA-C, ATC September 22, 2010

This month's column looks at a tool for assisting hospitals in measuring their performance related to providing equitable care to gay and lesbian patients and to creating workplace environments that are supportive to gay and lesbian medical providers, nurses, and staff.

Eliminating health disparities: What works?—August 2010

Jim Anderson, PA-C, ATC August 10, 2010

New articles and resources related to the causes and effects of health care inequities and disparities. Items include a compelling look at how community-based organizations can play effective roles in decreasing racial inequities in care, as well as big-picture strategies to decrease ethnic health disparities.

Eliminating health disparities: What works?—July 2010

Jim Anderson, PA-C, ATC July 28, 2010

AHRQ releases Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit; Latino health inequities are focus of free full-text issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

Ask a Librarian!—July 2010

Jim Anderson, PA-C, ATC, Susan Klawansky, MLS, AHIP July 23, 2010

This month, our information specialists discuss Web sites that can help you work more effectively with diverse populations and improve your cultural competence.

Eliminating health disparities: What works?—June 2010

Jim Anderson, PA-C, ATC June 23, 2010

This column describes recent literature on health disparities, emphasizing tools that can help clinicians to assess and address disparities in their own practices.

Eliminating health disparities: What works?—May 2010

Jim Anderson, PA-C, ATC May 20, 2010

This column describes recent literature on health disparities, emphasizing tools that can help clinicians to assess and address disparities in their own practices.

Eliminating health disparities: What works?—April 2010

Jim Anderson, PA-C, ATC April 22, 2010

This column examines recent literature on health disparities, emphasizing tools that can help clinicians to assess and address disparities in their own practices. This month's listings focus on obesity and HIV care.

Eliminating health disparities: What works?—March 2010

Jim Anderson, PA-C, ATC March 24, 2010

This column examines recent literature on health disparities, emphasizing tools that can help clinicians to assess and address disparities in their own practices. This month's subject: New information about the causes, results, and elimination of health disparities.

Eliminating health disparities: What works?—February 2010

Jim Anderson, PA-C, ATC February 11, 2010

This column examines recent literature on health disparities, emphasizing tools that can help clinicians to assess and address disparities in their own practices. This month's subject: Recent news about the causes and results of health disparities.

Eliminating health disparities: What works?—January 2010

Jim Anderson, PA-C, ATC January 13, 2010

This column examines recent literature on health disparities, emphasizing tools that can help clinicians to assess and address disparities in their own practices. This month's subject: Recent publications in the study of health disparities.

Eliminating health disparities: What works?—November 2009

Jim Anderson, PA-C, ATC November 25, 2009

This column examines recent literature on health disparities, emphasizing tools that can help clinicians to assess and address disparities in their own practices. This month's subject: Measuring the impact of unequal treatment of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender patients.

Eliminating health disparities: What works?—October 2009

Jim Anderson, PA-C, ATC October 23, 2009

This column examines recent literature on health disparities, emphasizing tools that can help clinicians to assess and address disparities in their own practices. This month's subject: The theory and measurement of clinician bias and stereotyping.

Eliminating health disparities: What works?—September 2009

Jim Anderson, PA-C, ATC September 25, 2009

This column examines recent literature on health disparities, emphasizing tools that can help clinicians to assess and address disparities in their own practices. This month's subject: Using Healthy People 2010 to guide health disparities efforts

Eliminating health disparities: What works?—August 2009

Jim Anderson, PA-C, ATC August 28, 2009

This column examines recent literature on health disparities, emphasizing tools that can help clinicians to assess and address disparities in their own practices. This month's subject: The myth of race and health.

Eliminating health disparities: What works?—July 2009

Jim Anderson, PA-C, ATC July 24, 2009

This column examines recent literature on health disparities, emphasizing tools that can help clinicians to assess and address disparities in their own practices. This month's subject: Using "equity reports" to measure and reduce health disparities.

Eliminating health disparities: What works?—June 2009

Jim Anderson, PA-C, ATC June 19, 2009

This column examines recent literature on health disparities, emphasizing tools that can help clinicians to assess and address disparities in their own practices. This month's subject: Why do clinicians stereotype patients?

Eliminating health disparities: What works?—May 2009

Jim Anderson, PA-C, ATC May 15, 2009

This column examines recent literature on health disparities, emphasizing tools that can help clinicians to assess and address disparities in their own practices. This month's column focuses on disparities in the treatment of pain.