Today, people of color comprise about 30% of the U.S. population. By the year 2050, various ethnic groups and people of color in the U.S. will total about half (51.1%) of the population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Close to 90% of our total population growth in that time will have come from higher birth rates of people of color and immigrants from all over the world.

This projection emphasizes what many have already realized: Living and working with and providing healthcare services to people that act, talk, relate, dress, and eat DIFFERENTLY than European Americans will become far more commonplace. Continued immigration into the US, along with the associated increase in the population of various cultural groups, means that more patients with different cultural customs, beliefs, and practices will be entering into the healthcare delivery system. This brings with it a unique and complex set of challenges for health care providers.