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Promoting discussions about cultural competence in an undergraduate health course

Objective The objective of this study was to determine how themes expressed in The Spirit Catches You and Then You Fall, influenced Health Promotion and Wellness students in terms of cultural competence in future practice. Design This was a cross sectional, qualitative study. Setting The setting for this study was Oswego, New York in the United States. Method This study used qualitative methods to describe the ideas of 18 undergraduate students enrolled in Health Promotion Planning, a required class for health promotion majors. This report is based on their final reflection in which they were asked to write about the bearing this book will have on their future careers in health promotion. The results were determined using an inductive coding approach characteristic of Grounded Theory. The responses were read several times and main themes were extracted. They were then grouped according to themes and read again. At this point, specific quotations which illustrated each theme were extracted and recorded. Results The four main themes identified were: (1) importance of knowing your audience, (2) accepting differences, (3) importance of communication in education, and (4) value of learning together. Each of these themes is discussed and direct quotations from the students are used to illustrate different points. Conclusion Providing students with concrete examples of the importance of being culturally sensitive may assist them in reflecting on and appreciating different aspects of working with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds. The Spirit Catches You and Then You Fall, by Anne Fadiman, is an example of why health educators need to put cultural sensitivity into practice. Discussing this book with a group of undergraduate health promotion majors led the students to several insights concerning cultural sensitivity. This book may be a useful tool for introducing the concept of cultural competence to undergraduate students enrolled in a health promotion course.