Webinar: The Role of Structural Competency in the Treatment and Prevention of Diabetes in a Vulnerable Agricultural Worker Population

Over the last 30 years, considerable attention has been paid in the clinical setting to cultural competency- the ability to mitigate against the effects of the sociocultural differences between clinicians and patients and to take into account how culture affects the symptoms presented or the patients’ attitude about health care. More recently, scholars and clinicians have encouraged those in practice or health professions training to focus not only on the behaviors and beliefs of cultural groups but more importantly to consider the structural determinants, prejudices, injustices and blind spots, the “pathologies of social systems” that affect health outcomes and the stigma experienced by patients. The session will introduce participants to the broad framework of structural competency and the five core structural competencies. Particular attention will be paid to the impact of structural issues on the treatment and management of diabetes for vulnerable populations.