From the World to Western: A Community-Engaged Teaching Strategy to Enhance Students’ Learning of Cultural Issues Relevant to Healthcare

Abstract

Using the transformational learning theory and action research method, this study captured the experiences of students from health-related disciplines in the cultural immersion program From the World to Western. A total of nine students participated in the pilot program with four host families from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds, and four cultural facilitators who connected the host families and students. The findings of this research showed that it was beneficial for students in health-related disciplines to engage in the cultural immersion program to further prepare them for culturally competent care in their future roles as healthcare professionals. In addition, the students indicated the need for the cultural immersion program to be part of the curriculum for future students to develop cultural skills, awareness and encounters with diverse populations.

A scoping review on the barriers to and facilitators of health services utilisation related to refugee settlement in regional or rural areas of the host country

“…For refugees, particularly women and the elderly, the development of easily accessible language education and health literacy programmes and facilitated access to community groups, volunteering, and employment possibilities would be beneficial. For service providers, while education towards delivering appropriate culturally sensitive care for this vulnerable population already occurs through lectures and discussions, application of material learned through, for example, cultural immersion is less common, and this could help overcome practise shortcomings [ 67 , 68 ]. At the government level, policies need to be adapted in terms of employment, housing accessibility, and service mobility.…”