Cultural orientation: an emerging dimension of quality in women's health services

There are many efforts underway to document the differences in health status and health services access of women in distinct cultural segments in the U.S. Along with the measurable aspects of health status and utilization, each cultural segment carries its unique perspective on what constitutes "quality" in women's health services. These definitions of quality may reflect access, interactions, process, and outcomes. Health care providers that aspire to provide quality women's health care need to identify the distinct cultural segments in their own communities; document the gaps in women's health services; and develop programs that are specific to clinical needs and quality criteria of these populations.