OHANA: Optimizing Cross-Cultural Care

Condition(s) studied

Study summary

Increasing globalisation and international migration have led to greater cultural diversity in Western societies, including healthcare settings. Hospitals and healthcare environments have become meeting places for individuals from different cultural backgrounds.

This diversity presents significant opportunities for improving healthcare, but also introduces complex challenges related to communication, trust and mutual understanding between healthcare professionals and patients. In this context, the concept of culturally competent care, i.e. the ability of healthcare professionals to provide respectful and appropriate care to patients by taking into account their cultural beliefs, values and practices, emerges as a crucial approach to address the specific needs of patients from different cultures. The concept of cultural competence was first introduced by Cross, who defines it as a set of behaviours, attitudes and policies that, when integrated into an organisation or among professionals, enable them to operate effectively in intercultural contexts.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Health workers' perceived utility of the cultural concordance system — 12 months
  Assessed through thematic content analysis of semi-structured interviews.
• Socio-demographic characteristics of health workers — 12 months
  Collected using a socio-demographic questionnaire.

Trial sites (1)

More Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS trials in Italy