Culturally-sensitive and Inclusive IBD Care

As the prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) increases within historically disadvantaged communities, it is imperative to better understand how intersectionality–defined as the complex, cumulative way in which the effects of multiple forms of discrimination (such as racism, sexism, and classism) – intersect and social determinants of health influence the patient’s experiences within the medical system when navigating their disease. Culturally-sensitive care is characterized by the ability to deliver patient-centered care that recognizes how the intersectionality of an individual’s identities impacts their disease journey. An intentional consideration and sensitivity to this impact play important roles in providing an inclusive and welcoming space for historically disadvantaged individuals living with IBD and will help address health inequity in IBD. Cultural competence implies mastery of care that understands and respects values and beliefs across cultures, while cultural humility involves recognizing the complexity of cultural identity and engaging in an ongoing learning process from individual patient experiences. Heightening our patient care goals from cultural competence to cultural sensitivity allows healthcare professionals and the systems in which they practice to lead with cultural humility as they adopt a more inclusive and humble perspective when caring for patient groups with a diverse array of identities and cultures and to avoid maintaining the status quo of implicit and explicit biases that impede the delivery of quality IBD care. In this article, we will review the literature on IBD care in historically disadvantaged communities, address culturally-sensitive care, and propose a framework to incorporating cultural humility in IBD practices and research.