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The Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs serves as a resource to the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center community on diversity and multicultural issues pertaining to health science education and fosters an institutional climate of tolerance and equity in regards for all the cultures represented in our organization.
The past two decades bear witness to a dramatic shift in the demographics of the United States population. Census figures show a population increase of 13.2 percent between 1990 and 2000. The growth of diverse population groups during this period is striking: Hispanics¬, 57.9 percent; Asians, 48.3 percent; American Indian and Alaskan natives, 26.4 percent; Blacks or Mexican Americans, 15.6 percent; and Native Hawaiian and other Pacific islanders, 9.3 percent. From another perspective, the majority Caucasian population increased 5.9 percent, while growth in other races and ethnicities rose to 42.7 percent. Enhancing the cultural competence of health care providers is critical for spanning the fault lines of the health care divide: ethnicity, assimilation and acculturation; socioeconomic status and insurance class, health belief systems and practices; language, communication styles and stereotyping; self-esteem and empowerment; and provider skills. Enhancing the cultural competence skills of medical students, residents and faculty will better address the health care needs and outcomes of our diverse West Texas population.