The Three CCCs of Dysphagia Management: Culturally Competent Care

Abstract

Purpose Patient-centered care is a healthcare approach that values an individual's right to make health care choices. For patients with dysphagia, honoring choices that carry significant health risks is challenging. This article presents strategies adapted from the multicultural literature to enhance patient engagement and help balance choices for quality of life while mitigating potential negative health consequences. The goal is to provide clinicians with knowledge gleaned from multicultural resources to deliver optimal care that considers both cultural and ethical factors. Method The authors use a hypothetical case of an older adult woman with dysphagia whose family is disagreeing with diet recommendations to introduce the concepts of culture, cultural humility, cultural competence, and ethical considerations. The authors present strategies for working with culturally diverse patients to show that these strategies can be adapted for use with any patient, regardless of cultural background. Conclusion Adopting a perspective that every patient presents with many cultural variables that can influence dysphagia management encourages the speech-language pathologist to approach each patient through a multicultural lens. Strategies and approaches for working with culturally and linguistically diverse patients can be adapted and inform the speech-language pathologist on ways to establish a dynamic of shared decision making for successful outcomes.