Culturally Competent Health Promotion: The Potential of Participatory Video for Empowering Migrant and Minority Ethnic Communities

Abstract

While the concept of cultural competence has emerged as a major contribution to improving migrants' and minority ethnic (MME) health, what constitutes culturally competent health promotion is less well understood. This paper explores the tension between the concept of cultural competence and community empowerment through an analysis of the author's recent experience of a participatory video project in which four ethnic/language groups were involved in the production of a breast‐screening video. It illustrates the engagement of migrants and minority ethnic communities in different stages of the video production process, and critically reflects on how this experience could be understood. It concludes that culturally competent health promotion requires us to go beyond language and cultural sensitivity to engage critically with communities to participate in health promotion activities. Participatory video has the potential not only to promote health messages in the communities, but also to strengthen capacity and cultural identities.

Citation

Chiu, L. (2009), "Culturally Competent Health Promotion: The Potential of Participatory Video for Empowering Migrant and Minority Ethnic Communities", International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, Vol. 5 No. 1, pp. 5-14. https://doi.org/10.1108/17479894200900002