Arlington, Va. – The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) has published a statement on diversity that acknowledges the importance that cultural competency plays in the chiropractic profession’s ability to deliver quality health care, improve patient outcomes and engage in public health initiatives.
“ACA acknowledges cultural agility as a foundation for competent healthcare delivery to improve patient outcomes and engage in public health initiatives,” the statement reads in part. “ACA defines cultural agility as having enhanced skills and knowledge of the needs of a multicultural society and requiring a commitment to inclusion that begins with broader concepts of diversity.”
In its statement, ACA also notes that diversity encompasses, “without limitation, race, color, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion, nationality, age, disability, socioeconomic status and marital and parental status.”
“ACA has taken a number of steps to enhance our diversity sensitivity, foremost being the establishment of our Diversity Commission,” said ACA President N. Ray Tuck, Jr., DC. “This diversity statement further clarifies our beliefs and values surrounding this issue, enabling us to move forward with a common understanding of what diversity entails for us as healthcare providers and why it matters.”
Established in March 2018, the ACA Diversity Commission has worked on several initiatives this past year, including a blog series on the ACA website and a Facebook Live discussion in November.
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About the American Chiropractic Association
The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) is the largest professional chiropractic organization in the United States. ACA attracts the most principled and accomplished chiropractors, who understand that it takes more to be called an ACA chiropractor. We are leading our profession in the most constructive and far-reaching ways — by working hand in hand with other health care professionals, by lobbying for pro-chiropractic legislation and policies, by supporting meaningful research and by using that research to inform our treatment practices. We also provide professional and educational opportunities for all our members and are committed to being a positive and unifying force for the practice of modern chiropractic. To learn more, visit www.acatoday.org, and connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
