Core Components of Cultural Competence
(Campenha-Bacote, 1994)
Cultural competence “The process in which the healthcare provider continuously strives
to achieve the ability to effectively work within the cultural context of a client.”
(Campenha-Bacote, 1999)
1.
Awareness – sensitizing one’s self to the world view of clients from other
cultures. Examination of ones own biases and prejudices and recognizing
how these might affect cross-cultural interactions.
a. Standard I: The culturally competent healthcare provider recognizes that
she has a belief system that informs her healthcare decision making,
i. Indicators
1. Can identify the ethnic group she belongs to
2. Can express biases or prejudices she holds
3. Can identify practices that she has that are culturally specific
b. Standard II: The culturally competent healthcare provider admits that his
communication style, behavior, and expectations could be misinterpreted
by people from other cultures.
i. Indicators
1. Does not communicate defensively
2. Does not persist with behavior that seems to make client
uncomfortable
3. Elicits responses from client and matches them to intentions
4.
2.
Knowledge – process of obtaining information about the belief system and
worldview of clients.
a. Standard: The culturally competent healthcare provider solicits and
attempts to understand the client’s explanation of the illness/need.
i. Indicators – Uses Kleinman’s 8 questions in patient interviews
1. What do you call the problem?
2. What do you think caused the problem?
3. Why do you think it started when it did?
4. How do you think the sickness works?
5. How severe is the sickness?
6. What kind of treatment do you think is warranted?
7. What are the main problems the sickness has caused?
8. What do you fear most about the sickness?
3.
Skill – process of conducting a cultural assessment while avoiding
stereotypical judgments and assumptions.
a. Standard: The culturally competent healthcare provider can identify most
of the major languages spoken in her service area.
i. Indicators
4.
5.
b. Standard:
The culturally competent healthcare provider is aware of
support services for non-English speaking people in the community.
i. indicator
c. Standard:
The culturally competent healthcare provider uses openended, non-judgmental questions when seeking information from clients.
i. Indicator
d. Standard:
The culturally competent healthcare provider is able to
assess a client’s health literacy in order to provide information in
appropriate formats.
i. Indicator:
uses the quick assessment of literacy in the client’s
milieu (i.e. food label in native language)
ii. Indicator:
can identify alternate formats for relaying the same
information (i.e. audio, print, video, graphic, “easy-to-read”, etc)
Cultural Encounters – the process which encourages health care providers to
engage directly in cross-cultural interactions with clients from diverse
backgrounds.
Cultural Desire – the motivation to engage in the process of building cultural
competence.