CULTURAL COMPETENCE IN HEALTH CARE STUDENTS AT A CHILEAN UNIVERSITY

Abstract

Objective: To determine the levels of cultural competence among students in various health-related degree programs at a Chilean university and how these levels are associated with sociodemographic variables. Material and Method: Descriptive cross-sectional, correlational study. The sample consisted of 354 undergraduate students in their final year of various health-related degree programs. The Cultural Competence Measurement Scale (EMCC-14) was used to assess cultural competence across three dimensions: sensitivity, knowledge, and cultural skills. Associations were then analyzed with respect to age, gender, academic program, and previous knowledge of the topic using the non-parametric tests: Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis H. Results: Students who did not identify as either male or female
reported the highest cultural competence scores (? 91.1 points). Among academic programs, Nursing and Occupational Therapy had the highest scores (81.1), while Kinesiology and Medical Technology had the lowest (70.5 and 71.4, respectively). A statistically significant difference was found in the medians of the sub-area “Knowledge” according to gender (p=0.010). Conclusion: Significant gaps in cultural competence were identified across health-related programs during professional training. There is an urgent need to critically revise curricula and integrate cultural competence education across programs. Further research should explore the link between gender diversity and cultural competence in health professionals.