Assessment of Cultural Competence in Pharmacy Students Prior to Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences

Abstract

Objective. To assess knowledge of cultural competence, skills in dealing with sociocultural issues, comfort in handling cross-cultural encounters, and attitudes towards health disparities in second-year pharmacy students, and to investigate the relationship between cultural competence and students’ demographics, work experience, and prior education.

Methods. A 63-item survey comprising of four domains (knowledge, skills, encounters or situations, and attitudes towards cultural competency), modified from the Clinical Cultural Competency Questionnaire (CCCQ), was administered to second-year students at a pharmacy school in the Western United States with a 2-year didactic and 2-year experiential curriculum before Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs). Additional questions regarding ability to identify and recognize elements of cultural competence were asked. The effects of demographics, work experience, and education on cultural competence were assessed.

Results. Data included 97 student responses (86.6% response). The majority of participants were Asian females in their late 20s. Most agreed or strongly agreed that they could identify and recognize elements of cultural competence. However, participants were only “a little” to “somewhat” comfortable when asked questions about knowledge, skills, and comfort, yet indicated “quite a bit” of competence regarding attitudes towards other cultures in the CCCQ-MP. Previous Cultural diversity training in undergraduate studies and pharmacy school were associated with higher scores on the CCCQ-MP.

Conclusion. Students reported confidence in identifying and recognizing elements of cultural competence and their attitudes towards such situations. However, knowledge, skills, and comfort in this area were lacking. Previous training in cultural competence was associated with greater scores on the CCCQ-MP.