At last...an indispensable handbook for health care professionals who encounter diverse cultures every day. Immigrant, minority and refugee populations make up a quarter of our population, but special challenges await the doctors, nurses, clinical care providers, social workers, public health professionals and others who care for our diverse population on a daily basis. Some groups lack health insurance, arrive with no medical records or present with unfamiliar conditions. Access to care can be daunting, and often there are significant language barriers. At a fundamental level, basic concepts of what good health is, where disease originates and how to treat illness can vary dramatically from group to group. Health Matters, based on the highly successful handbook from Iowa that has helped scores throughout the nation and abroad, shows how providers - and their institutions - can achieve a level of cultural competence essential for their work. Included in this comprehensive guide are summaries of the experience of 14 cultural groups; strategies for developing culturally appropriate care; and critical information on the cultural patterns, health practices and underlying belief systems of underserved groups. Health Matters is an essential guide for anyone delivering health care in our rapidly changing communities.