Cultural Diversity and the Impact on Attitudes towards Acculturation

Background: With the growing number of immigrants migrating to the United States, health care professionals are challenged with providing patient-centered and culturally competent care. Immigrants often acculturate and lose their distinct cultural identities, which can have a negative impact on their health and transition in America. Healthcare professionals must work to identify and uncover their own biases before caring for patients from different cultural backgrounds, to help promote health and respect the diversity of the growing population of the United States. Becoming a culturally competent healthcare professional begins with education and self-awareness. Purpose: Thus, the focus of this study is to assess if a cultural diversity in healthcare course could have a positive impact on students’ views of acculturation. Methods: Following IRB approval matched pre post questionnaires were distributed to undergraduate students before and after completing this cultural diversity in health care course. Questions included the Color Blind Racial Attitudes Scale as well as questions adapted from a study completed at the University of California Los Angeles. This particular study focused on 32 specific questions selected for their relevance towards assessing students’ attitudes about acculturation. Results: Initial results indicate that a positive change occurred in student attitudes towards acculturation after completing the course. Further details will be shared in the poster presentation as results are still being analyzed. Conclusion: Findings suggest that there are significant differences between attitudes towards acculturation between white students and students of color. Understanding these differences could positively impact providing patient-centered care to people of diverse cultural backgrounds. Further studies are needed to continue to explore these differences and refine how best to educate students to become culturally competent healthcare providers