It Goes Without Saying: Increasing cultural competency of ethnic groups in Michigan

Background: The purpose of this literature review is to investigate the cultural norms of the largest ethnic minority groups in Michigan and to identify the best practices for providing culturally competent eye care to patients within these groups in order to better provide for their optometric healthcare needs. Methods: Databases used for information gathering included PubMed, JSTOR, and ProQuest. Articles needed to be reputible and no more than 10 years old, with one exception. A resource was declared reputible if from a source with proven and known expertise in the content area. Reputible websites and one textbook was employed as well. Results: Information was gathered and organized relating to the best practices for the major ethnic groups in Michigan. An instructional pamphlet was created to condense these guidelines as a quick reference for busy practioners. Conclusions: This paper outlines guidelines for the largest ethnic groups in Michigan to assist the eyecare practitioner in their care of a culturally diverse patient. Application of these guidelines should be done cautiously, as acculturation and cultural identification levels vary amongst patients. The information presented in this paper is meant to be used as a starting point rather than a guaranteed assumption.