The public is invited. Admission is free.

Shingles notes that health care providers will interact with patients from a variety of races, ethnicities, religions and cultures, as well as other demographics. As an example, she explained that the 2000 U.S. Census allowed 66 different racial and ethnic categories that were used individually or in combination.

In light of such diversity, she said, the Office of Minority Health of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has recommended national standards for culturally and linguistically appropriate health care. The preamble to the standards states, "Culture and language have considerable impact on how patients access and respond to health care services." Health care providers are also recommended to "promote and support the attitudes, behaviors, knowledge, and skills necessary for staff to work respectively with patients and each other in a culturally diverse work environment."

Shingles's interactive presentation will define cultural competence and discuss considerations for health care professionals.

It has been scheduled in conjunction with the college's Critical Issues Symposium, which runs from the evening of Tuesday, Sept. 28, through mid-afternoon on Wednesday, Sept. 29, and is examining "Race and Opportunity: Echoes of Brown v. Board of Education."

Shingles is an athletic trainer and member of the faculty at Central Michigan University. She holds a doctorate from Michigan State University and is a former chair of the National Athletic Trainers' Association Ethnic Minority Advisory Council. She has published extensively on the topics of race and gender in health care.

The Distinguished Lecture Series in Sports Medicine is designed for health care professionals with an interest in physically active patients, and is intended for students, educators and clinicians alike. It is co-sponsored by Holland Community Hospital, GRSportsCenter and the college.

The Maas Center is located on Columbia Avenue at 11th Street in Holland.

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