PEOPLE FROM CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS


Over 50% of people living with chronic hepatitis B in Australia are people from priority CALD communities (see People from priority culturally and linguistically diverse communities).25 Clinicians need to be equipped to provide culturally sensitive and competent services, to improve health outcomes for this priority population.48

‘Culturally and linguistically diverse’ is an umbrella term designed to include migrants, temporary residents, international students, refugees, and asylum seekers, as well as their descendants. It draws attention to cultural factors that can influence patterns of health access and outcomes even in people who were born in Australia and speak English proficiently. Understanding a person’s health belief systems and level of health literacy can support the clinician to tailor each episode of care specifically to improve the health outcomes of their patients.