Cultural Competence Linked to Inproved Patient Ratings of Care

Literature Update 1, January 2004

"Cultural competence" is essentially a healthcare provider's ability to provide high-quality care to patients from diverse social and cultural backgrounds. While it has been shown that effective communication leads to better clinical outcomes, no one has directly measured providers' cultural competence and examined its effects on care—until now. A new study from UCSF had primary care physicians rate their knowledge of health beliefs, Spanish-speaking ability, and overall effectiveness in caring for Latino diabetics. The researchers then compared these scores to patients' experiences with care. These were measured with a twenty-two-item scale including questions such as "How often did your doctor use medical words that you did not understand?" and "How often did your doctor listen carefully to what you had to say?" They found that patients rated many important aspects of care higher when their physician rated themselves more culturally competent. Similarly, a physician's Spanish-speaking ability was also predictive of better patient ratings of care. This study demonstrates that Latino patients (the largest minority group in the U.S.), among others, can stand to benefit from culturally competent care.