Eleventh Global Studies Conference

Abstract

The demand for inter-culturally competent healthcare professionals is growing at an exponential rate in globalized societies; therefore, inquiry is needed to inform curriculum for healthcare students. Healthcare outcomes suffer for culturally diverse populations due to providers’ inability to recognize their own cultural competence or lack of multicultural focus thus increasing inequality in care. Healthcare professionals must identify an individual’s cultural dimensions as they influence patient-centered care in a multicultural way. Educating healthcare professionals to have a more multicultural focus within the healthcare environment will increase positive outcomes for diverse populations, a needed component for social change and equality in care. A cohort sample of convenience was used to validate a newly designed curriculum for inter-cultural competence training in healthcare professions students after generalized training failed to reach significant results. An introductory lecture style information session was presented to students in a classroom setting. The remaining cultural competence instruction was provided through an online learning platform. Participants were students in the College of Health Professions at Sacred Heart University. 87.5% of the students were between the age of twenty-two and thirty. All participants were graduate students. 34% reported having never experienced formal inter-cultural competence training previously. In order to assess the growth of students’ intercultural competence, we administered the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) both pre- and post-training module. The IDI has been psychometrically tested for reliability and validity. We administered the assessment before any training took place and adapted the modules to meet the students’ aggregate score on the IDI’s developmental continuum. The main intervention was the inter-cultural competence training modules which incorporate activities that assist students in identifying their own cultural values as well as the values of others. IDI scores (pre/post) were analyzed using a repeated measures analysis of variance to determine any statistically significant differences before and after participating in the learning modules. Initial outcomes indicate positive movement along the developmental continuum. Mean scores (93.74, N = 32, SD = 17.62) on the pre-test showed the group measured on the polarization dimension. Post-test mean scores (98.88, N = 32, SD = 15.8) showed the group moved up the continuum to the cusp of minimization. The customized training had a statistically significant effect on inter-cultural competence ability F(1, 31) = 4.761, p < 0.05. Research has suggested that we cannot expect students to grow inter-culturally without specific, guided intervention facilitated by faculty members. Incorporating a formal, customized program can be operationalized across healthcare programs resulting in growth in inter-cultural competence skills among healthcare professionals that will better serve a diverse population of patients. This effort will begin to equalize the quality of care affecting patient outcomes in a positive direction.