Cultural Competence In Health Care Research Articles

Cultural Competence Interventions in European Healthcare: A Scoping Review.

Europe is undergoing rapid social change and is distinguished by its cultural superdiversity. Healthcare is facing an increasing need for professionals to adapt to this environment. Thus, the promotion of cultural competence in healthcare has become a priority. However, the training being developed and their suitability for the European context are not well known. The aim of this qualitative study has been to map the scientific literature in order to comprehend the current state of research on this topic. For this purpose, we conducted a systematic scoping review of the empirical publications focused on cultural competence interventions for healthcare professionals in European countries. The search was conducted in eight thematic (PsycINFO, MedLine, and PubPsych) and multidisciplinary databases (Academic Search Ultimate, E-Journals, Scopus, ProQuest, and Web of Science) to identify relevant publications up to 2023. Results were presented qualitatively. Out of the initial 6506 records screened, a total of 63 publications were included. Although the interventions were implemented in 23 different European countries, cultural competence interventions have not been widely adopted in Europe. Significant heterogeneity was observed in the conception and operacionalización of cultural competence models and in the implementation of the interventions. The interventions have mostly aimed at improving healthcare for minority population groups and have focused on the racial and ethnic dimensions of the individual. Future research is needed to contribute to the conceptual development of cultural competence to design programs tailored to European superdiversity. This scoping review has been registered in OSF and is available for consultation.

Analyzing the Role of Language and Religion in Culturally Competent Healthcare: An Interdisciplinary Perspective

Cultural competence in healthcare refers to the ability of providers and organizations to effectively deliver healthcare services that meet the social, cultural, and linguistic needs of patients. The current interdisciplinary approach aims to elucidate the critical roles of language and religion in healthcare, focusing on their impact on communication, patient satisfaction, health literacy, and cultural competence in healthcare delivery. Through meticulous analysis of academic databases, health organization reports, and religious institution publications, this literature review consolidates findings from few peer-reviewed articles published in English. Findings reveal that effective healthcare communication is significantly hampered by language barriers, leading to risks of misdiagnoses, improper treatments, and diminished patient satisfaction. The review highlights the indispensable roles of language and religious competence in healthcare, advocating for their integration into healthcare practice, education, and policy to enhance the quality and cultural competence of healthcare delivery for diverse patient populations. Future research should continue to explore and expand on these findings, contributing to the development of practical strategies and theoretical frameworks supporting culturally competent healthcare.

Undue Burden the Medical School Application Process Places on Low-Income Latinos

Undue Burden the Medical School Application Process Places on Low-Income Latinos

Navigating cultural diversity and conversation barriers in palliative care: a mini review

Navigating cultural diversity while providing palliative care is crucial to ensure that healthcare providers offer their patients the best possible care. Palliative care is increasingly confronted with cultural diversity. To achieve quality care, clinicians must be culturally competent and receive cross-cultural training. Culturally competent clinicians are those who adhere to organizational policies, undergo cross-culture training, and utilize the latest advances to enhance communication, improve health outcomes, and reduce racial and ethnic health disparities. Objective: The main aim of this review is to understand the complexities and challenges associated with navigating cultural diversity in palliative care. This entails recognizing and addressing religious beliefs, family roles, and other culturally rooted practices and perceptions that could influence the delivery of palliative care. Findings: Various cultural barriers have been identified that healthcare providers face, including communication barriers, religious beliefs, family roles, beliefs about suffering and pain, alternative medicines, trust in healthcare providers, radical and ethnic bias, and gender bias. Technological advances, organizational policies, and targeted education can mitigate these cultural and cross-cultural communication barriers. Enhanced training fosters understanding and ensures that diverse populations receive respectful end-of-life and palliative care. Such strategies promote trust, enhance patient-provider relationships, and lead to improved health outcomes. Conclusion: Navigating cultural diversity in palliative care is crucial. Despite the presence of various technological advancements, the ongoing necessity for healthcare providers to possess cultural competence and sensitivity remains evident. Continuous training, education, and heightened awareness are essential. The implementation of IA tools, revisions to organizational policies, and the enhancement of medical training can contribute to achieving cultural competence in healthcare. Looking ahead, we aspire to see improved personalized care that harmonizes medical expertise with cultural understanding, ultimately reducing disparities and elevating care standards universally.

Need for Widely Applicable Cultural Competencies in the Healthcare of Humans and Animals

This entry discusses the importance of cultural competence in the healthcare of humans and animals, its challenges, its mixed research results, and the need for widely applicable competencies. Although there is research evidence showing that cultural competence is linked with patient satisfaction, better doctor–patient relationships, adherence to therapy, and to some extent, better health outcomes, there is a huge variety of models and competencies in the literature, which has sometimes resulted in inclusive outcomes, confusion as to what constitutes the necessary competencies, and patchy implementation. In spite of the development of cultural competence in human healthcare, its implementation in veterinary medicine remains poor. On this note, the aims of this entry are to provide a brief overview of the cultural competence in healthcare and veterinary medicine and education, to outline the important facts, and to highlight the need for more standardisation in implementing and testing widely applicable cultural competencies for both human and veterinary healthcare.

The Culturally Competent Healthcare Professional: The RESPECT Competencies from a Systematic Review of Delphi Studies

Background: In the existing literature, there are many guidelines regarding cultural competencies for healthcare professionals and many instruments aiming to measure cultural competence. However, there is no consensus on which core cultural competencies are necessary for healthcare professionals. Aim and Methods: This study employed the PRISMA 2020 statement to systematically review Delphi studies and identify the core cultural competencies on which experts, who have been working with diverse populations in the fields of healthcare and allied healthcare, have reached a consensus. For this purpose, we searched, retrieved, and reviewed all Delphi studies conducted between 2000 and 2022 in the databases Scopus, PubMed, CINAHL, Medline, and PsycInfo and coded and synthesised the results qualitatively. Results: The systematic search resulted in 15 Delphi studies that met eligibility criteria and in which 443 experts from 37 different countries around the globe had participated. The review of these Delphi studies showed that the core competencies necessary for healthcare professionals to ensure that they provide culturally congruent care were: Reflect, Educate, Show Interest and Praise, Empathise, and Collaborate for Therapy. Discussion and Conclusion: These competencies make the abbreviation and word RESPECT, which symbolically places emphasis on respect as the overarching behaviour for working effectively with diversity. The study also provides a new, comprehensive definition of the cultural competence of healthcare professionals and opens new directions in formulating standardised guidelines and research in cultural competence in healthcare and allied healthcare.

Abstract 5533: Providing culturally responsible health care to Pacific Islander communities: The creation of a cultural competency training for healthcare professionals

Abstract Cultural competency is the ability to respectfully engage, understand, and communicate through conscientious interaction, enabling effective work and meaningful relationships in cross-cultural situations. Cultural competency recognizes the importance for organizations of participants’ diverse social and cultural values, beliefs, and behaviors, and has gained attention because it can bridge health perspectives, understanding, and respect between health professionals and patients. There remains a need for cultural competency in healthcare as disparities persist across the U.S. in racial and ethnic minority groups who experience worse health outcomes and lower healthcare quality than the general public. Therefore, a cultural competency training curriculum was created using various resources to improve interactions between Pacific Islander patients and healthcare professionals. This training helps to reduce racial/ethnic disparities in healthcare by encouraging mutual understanding and improving patient satisfaction, adherence to medical instructions, and overall health outcomes by highlighting patient-centered care as a result of utilizing components of cultural competency. To improve patient experiences in Hawai’i, healthcare professionals need the tools to better interact with patients from different cultures, such as Pacific Islanders. This training provides healthcare professionals with culturally-based content for improving cultural competence techniques for interacting with Pacific Island patients. This training was pilot tested with key stakeholders from community organizations and Cancer Center faculty/staff. Local health clinics, providers, and practices will have the opportunity to participate in this training through a Zoom-based electronic training format and be provided with three continuing medical education credits. The initial delivery of the training was intended for in-person sessions; however, a virtual format was adapted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent social distancing regulations. Healthcare providers are provided pre-training resources, a pre- and post-test, and a course evaluation to determine the validity of training objectives. To date, two Federally Qualified Health Centers have been provided the training, n=60, as well as one Cancer Health Equity Partnerships’ Scientific Workshop, n=40. For attendees, the analysis of correct responses from the pretest to post-test showed a significant improvement on 6 of the 12 questions. Respondents also agreed that the training resources aligned with the course objectives. Improved patient interactions from this training can help support better patient outcomes, adherence to medical advice regarding cancer screenings, and many other aspects of improving health equity for Pacific Islanders. Citation Format: Mark Lee Willingham Jr., Kevin Cassel, Angela Sy, Munirih Taafaki, Tressa P. Diaz, Angelina G. Mummert. Providing culturally responsible health care to Pacific Islander communities: The creation of a cultural competency training for healthcare professionals. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 5533.

The rise of racial minority health apps

The rise of racial minority health apps

Cultural Competency in Healthcare

Healthcare must be adapted to be mindful and capable of treating culturally diverse patients — something the medical industry has not accomplished, as evidenced by the ethnic and racial disparities in healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. While serving diverse patients’ health and wellness needs can present challenges, it is critical to society. To be culturally competent, physicians must increase their ability to communicate with and care for diverse patient populations. Demonstrating an understanding and sensitivity to other cultures will help us overcome and prevent racial and ethnic divisions and provide better care for all patients.

Doprinos interkulturnog menadžmenta razvoju kulturne kompetentnosti u zdravstvenom sektoru

Globalization is changing the way we look at the world and affecting the healthcare sector. There is a need to implement intercultural competence among healthcare workers. The postulation of intercultural medicine was created due to the influence of cultural barriers to effective healthcare. In order to avoid cultural stereotypes due to the decisive role of human factors in management of health care institutions, it is necessary to be well acquainted with the intercultural human resource management. Population migration and globalization leads to the need for education in order to understand the influence of cultural factors on effective health care. The concept of cultural competence in health care encompasses strategies, responsible management and employee behavior and as such provides the basis for effective functioning in an intercultural environment.

Culturally competent occupational therapy practice for south asians in the United States of America: A narrative review

Background: The concept of cultural competence in health care has gained significant attention in the past few decades due to increased diversity in the United States (US) population. However, studies suggested that occupational therapists in the US are not prepared for this cultural shift. Several research articles indicated that practicing clinicians are either not aware of the need for culturally competent practices or need the training to enhance knowledge on cultural competence to cater to people from South Asian backgrounds. Objectives: This study aims to understand cultural beliefs, the perception of health and illness, the meaning of occupations from the viewpoint of the South Asian clients to help explore culturally competent strategies for occupational therapy (OT) professionals in the US to ensure they provide applicable and culturally appropriate services to South Asian clients. Study Design: A narrative review. Methods: Keyword searches of databases such as PubMed and EBSCO, and the American Journal of OT were performed. The literature search identified and reviewed qualitative/quantitative studies (n = 13) and other articles/resources (n = 9) on cultural competency for South Asians in the United States of America from 2009 to 2021 in English language literature. Manual searches of other relevant journals and reference lists of primary articles were also done. Results: Analysis of the results of studies reviewed revealed three main themes, (1) role of critical thinking and self-awareness that promote or inhibit the use of culturally competent interventions, (2) prior experiences of OT practitioners with ethnically diverse communities, (3) cultural considerations such as common belief, family hierarchy, traditional medicines, and the use of educational material or therapy resources in the native language that may improve therapy outcomes for South Asian clients. Conclusion: Empowering cultural competency requires complex skills such as critical thinking, self-awareness, problem-solving, understanding the dynamics of discrimination, and understanding the service delivery systems. The background information on common behaviors, beliefs, and cultural considerations of South Asians will help devise meaningful client-centered interventions that match the social and cultural norms of South Asian clients, which can improve OT practice for this clientele in the US.

The Evaluation of Cultural Competence in Healthcare

The article seeks to stimulate dialogue about the evaluation of cultural competence in healthcare. The first part of the paper presents the different attempts to measure cultural competence in the field of healthcare and critically analyses the problems that arise concerning the use of instruments that measure the cultural competence of health providers. The second part of the article focuses on the evaluation process of the first cultural competence educational programme for healthcare workers in Slovenia, serving as an example to demonstrate the importance of complementing quantitative methods with qualitative ones and to emphasize the need to shift the focus from measuring the cultural competence of individual healthcare workers to the evaluation of educator performances, patient perspectives, and the cultural competence of healthcare institutions as a whole.

Interprofessional Communication-A Call for More Education to Ensure Cultural Competency in the Context of Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicine.

Culturally appropriate communication between healthcare professionals and with patients is widely recognised as a cornerstone of high quality, patient-centred care. The widespread use of traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine (TCIM) necessitates that patient-centre communication and cultural competency in healthcare extends beyond race, ethnicity, and languages spoken to also include an awareness of, and respect for the diverse range of healthcare practices, paradigms, and lexicons that patients and practitioners use. Education can equip practitioners with the necessary communication skills and expand their knowledge about the therapies and practices that patients are accessing. In this viewpoint essay, we aim to 1) emphasise the importance of respectful, culturally competent interprofessional communication and collaboration that mutually supports patients’ care needs; 2) note the impact of a political agenda that perpetuates medical hegemony and has discriminated against, and marginalised TCIM practitioners and the people who use these services; and 3) highlight the importance of educational initiatives that support inclusive, culturally competent, interprofessional communication and collaboration between conventional and TCIM healthcare practitioners.

Opportunities from Covid-19 Pandemic: Strategies to Transform On-Site to Remote Community Clinical Experience

Abstract: The Covid-19 pandemic continues to affect lives. This evidence-based strategy describes pathways to address the crisis and meet goals of undergraduate baccalaureate nursing education. Impact of the pandemic on clinical site availability provided opportunities to revise the maternity clinical course from direct on-site clinical to a clinical course with multiple modalities including small-group hospital clinical, faculty-facilitated remote clinical days, and written assignments. The design incorporated adult learning principles. This presentation illustrates transformation of the “Community Clinical Education Day” from on-site activities to remote virtual experiences. Teaching strategies that successfully fulfilled requirements of maternity clinical course, components of the eight-hour offering, and effectiveness of a multimodal clinical course compared to a traditional clinical course are described. Objectives: To identify mission, services, and population of community agencies and to develop education offerings for target population Format: Live remote faculty presentation on community-based health promotion; assessment, values, and beliefs; social and health-related issues affecting women; cultural competence in healthcare; and health literacy. Students independently review agency websites, and in small groups develop client education materials on assigned topics. Students reconvene remotely to present teaching projects. Implications: Changes from traditional methods of on-site community clinical education to remote model with multiple modalities of instruction reflect adult learning principles, enhance student engagement, and provide templates for educators. Evaluations of remote community clinical demonstrate completion of course objectives and positive student and faculty perceptions of the experience. The effectiveness of a remote multimodal course compared to traditional course provides a model for adaptation of clinical courses.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: A strategic priority for the American Pediatric Surgical Association

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: A strategic priority for the American Pediatric Surgical Association

Student's satisfaction and intercultural competence development from a short study abroad programs: A multiple cross-sectional study

Nurses should be culturally competent to care appropriately to all patient groups. Whilst there are many opportunities to obtain clinical experiences, there are less curriculum-based opportunities to develop cultural competencies. This multiple cross-sectional study aimed to explore the development of intercultural awareness, knowledge, and competence in two different nursing students’ groups (2016 and 2017 program edition) during a one-week study abroad program hosted by a European network of 14 higher education institutions. A questionnaire was designed specifically for the study and reliability established. Factor analysis confirmed three dimensions: perceived benefits, satisfaction, and acquisition of learning outcomes. Fifty-eight students (71.6%) completed the questionnaire for the April 2016 group, and 60 (88.2%) from the April 2017 group. There were minimal differences in responses between the two groups which suggested perceived benefits were retained one year later. Ratings were high for perceived satisfaction, perceived benefits; and the learning outcomes with regard to cultural competencies. Overall, the one-week program was considered a success and students would recommend it to others. This study concludes that a short, one-week study abroad program enabled nursing students to develop individually as well as develop cultural competencies in healthcare.

Inter-cultural and cross-cultural communication through physicians' lens: perceptions and experiences.

ObjectivesThis study aimed to explore Swedish physicians’ perceptions regarding physician-patient communication in an Iranian context and to obtain a deeper understanding of their lived experience when encountering Middle Eastern and Swedish patients in their daily work. MethodsThis is a multi-method study, including conventional content analysis in combination with phenomenological methodology. A triangulation approach to data collection and analysis was used. Serving the purpose of the study, twelve Swedish physicians with previous experience of Middle Eastern patients were purposely selected to participate in the study. They watched a video showing simulated patient encounter in an Iranian context. The video served as a trigger. Semi-structured interviews were conducted focusing on the participants’ perceptions of the video and their lived experiences. Constant comparative analysis was used for a deep understanding of the data. ResultsThe core themes were cultural diversity, doctor-centeredness, and patient-centeredness. Cultural diversity was a convergent theme and included trust, interpersonal interaction, context, and doctor dominancy. Patient-centeredness and doctor-centeredness were divergent themes and included doctors’ authority, equity, the experience of illness, and accountability. ConclusionsThe participants confirmed large cultural differences in doctor-patient communication when encountering Iranian and Swedish patients. Inter-cultural and cross-cultural competencies were made visible. To be able to appreciate other cultures’ health values, beliefs, and behaviors, increased cultural competence in health care is of importance.

Situating Race in Cultural Competency Training: A Site of Self-Revelation

Indigenous cross-cultural training has been around since the 1980s. It is often seen as a way to increase the skills and competency of staff engaged in providing service to Indigenous clients and customers, teaching Indigenous students within universities and schools, or working with Indigenous communities (Fredericks and Bargallie, “Indigenous”; “Which Way”). In this article we demonstrate how such training often exposes power, whiteness, and concepts of an Indigenous “other”. We highlight how cross-cultural training programs can potentially provide a setting in which non-Indigenous participants can develop a deeper realisation of how their understandings of the “other” are formed and enacted within a “white” social setting. Revealing whiteness as a racial construct enables people to see race, and “know what racism is, what it is not and what it does” (Bargallie, 262). Training participants can use such revelations to develop their racial literacy and anti-racist praxis (Bargallie), which when implemented have the capacity to transform inequitable power differentials in their work with Indigenous peoples and organisations.

Toward Cultural Competency in Health Care: A Scoping Review of the Diversity and Inclusion Education Literature.

To explore best practices for increasing cultural competency and reducing health disparities, the authors conducted a scoping review of the existing literature. The review was guided by 2 questions: (1) Are health care professionals and medical students learning about implicit bias, health disparities, advocacy, and the needs of diverse patient populations? (2) What educational strategies are being used to increase student and educator cultural competency? In August 2016 and July 2018, the authors searched 10 databases (including Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus) and MedEdPORTAL, respectively, using keywords related to multiple health professions and cultural competency or diversity and inclusion education and training. Publications from 2005 to August 2016 were included. Results were screened using a 2-phase process (title and abstract review followed by full-text review) to determine if articles met the inclusion or exclusion criteria. The search identified 89 articles that specifically related to cultural competency or diversity and inclusion education and training within health care. Interventions ranged from single-day workshops to a 10-year curriculum. Eleven educational strategies used to teach cultural competency and about health disparities were identified. Many studies recommended using multiple educational strategies to develop knowledge, awareness, attitudes, and skills. Less than half of the studies reported favorable outcomes. Multiple studies highlighted the difficulty of implementing curricula without trained and knowledgeable faculty. For the field to progress in supporting a culturally diverse patient population, comprehensive training of trainers, longitudinal evaluations of interventions, and the identification and establishment of best practices will be imperative.

Caring ethics as the foundation for cultural competence: views of health professionals working in student healthcare context.

Cultural competence is recognised as a leading component in the delivery of high-quality health care. However, a lack of concept clarity has led to lower quality and less effective healthcare provision for culturally diverse groups. Understanding of cultural competence in a healthcare context will be improved through the exploration of health professionals' perceptions of the matter. The aim of this study was to explore health professionals' perceptions of cultural competence in a student healthcare context. The material consists of texts from interviews with ten health professionals in a student healthcare context. A hermeneutical approach was used, and the method was inspired by content analysis. One main theme and four subthemes were seen. The main theme was 'Caring ethics as the foundation for enabling cultural competence', and the subthemes were 'Cultural competence as knowledge and acting accordingly with open-mindedness and respect', 'Cultural competence as being willing to understand and learn through a process', 'cultural competence as responsiveness and adaptability' and 'Cultural competence as humility and discretion'. Ethics can be considered a core component of cultural competence in student healthcare. In further research, a focus should be placed on cultural competence as perceived from other (e.g. students') perspectives.