Development of a community-informed pediatric palliative care communication toolkit for use in Minnesota's Somali, Hmong, Latino, and Native American patients.
To utilize a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach to explore strategies to improve patient/family-provider understanding and communication about pediatric serious illness in the Somali, Latino/a/x, Hmong, and Native American communities in Minnesota. One mechanism to improve health disparities on the individual patient level is to better understand the cross-cultural interactions and communication practices that impact the relationship between patient/family and provider. In collaboration with the SoLaHmo Partnership for Health & Wellness, we will utilize diverse qualitative approaches to guide the future development of educational materials and a “communication toolkit” for pediatric providers. The development, implementation, and dissemination of community-informed strategies will be fundamental to improving culturally responsive palliative care access and delivery among immigrant and minority communities in Minnesota.
“I believe I am the right leader, at the right time, to help find the right solutions to reducing health disparities in pediatric palliative care. My long-term goal, facilitated by participation in the Sojourns Scholars Leadership Program, is to research, implement, and disseminate processes for pediatric health care providers that leads to improved access to and delivery of palliative care among culturally diverse populations. My sincere hope is that one of the largest lessons we will learn from recent events in this country, and in Minneapolis in particular, is that systemic racism and inequities in healthcare should be addressed and remedied both by “boots on the ground” providers with leadership experience as well as by the communities impacted by unequal access to services and longstanding structural racism. I am poised and prepared to be one of these health care leaders. These issues are uncomfortable and hard to confront but cannot and should not be ignored any longer. A fundamental culture shift is required to engage communities of color around full access and rights to palliative care, the complexities of serious illness, and death. I look forward to collaborating with the local community, the University of Minnesota, and the Cambia Health Foundation to be a successful ambassador of the commitment to “whole person” healthcare.”
