The Cross-Cultural Care Survey to Assess Cultural Competency - Article Example

 The Cross-Cultural Care Survey to Assess Cultural CompetencyAbstractThe essay aims to present a brief written summary of a journal article’s content and one written question on the implications for practice in the student’s area of health care, which is health management. The article to be summarized for this purpose is entitled “Using the Cross-Cultural Care Survey to Assess Cultural Competency in Graduate Medical Education” written by Chun, et.al. and published in the Journal of Graduate Medical Education in March 2010.

“Using the Cross-Cultural Care Survey to Assess Cultural Competencyin Graduate Medical Education”Summary of the Article The article entitled “Using the Cross-Cultural Care Survey to Assess Cultural Competencyin Graduate Medical Education” written by Chun, Yamada, Hun, Hew and Tasaka (2010) proffered pertinent issues relative to assessing appropriate tools to measure the competencies of resident physicians in addressing multicultural concerns affecting diverse patients across various cultural orientations. Chun, et.al.

used the Cross-Cultural Care Survey (CCCS) as the “multidimensional tool to assess knowledge (preparedness),skill, attitudes, and quantity of cultural content integratedinto a resident training program” (Chun, Yamada, Huh, Hew, & Tasaka, 2010, p. 97). As explicitly indicated, the authors primary objective for conducting the study was identified as enhancing “the feasibility and further provide support for thevalidity and reliability of this tool for use in assessingcultural competency among residents across specialties.

The authors first a sought the approval for revising the CCCS to enhance comprehensive ability and to update the applicability of the survey to current knowledge, attitudes and skills identified in the health care setting. The survey was conducted using 84 participants who are residents of four identified specialties located in a community-based health institution. As disclosed, two relevant variables were used in the study, to wit: “(1) whether residents were able to treat patients who speaka language other than English, and (2) whether they wereborn in the United States or another country.

An additionalsection asked participants about the extent of cross-culturalcare training beyond medical school” (Chun, Yamada, Huh, Hew, & Tasaka, 2010, p. 97). The results of the study revealed that the CCCS was a valid and effectively reliable tool in measuring the preparedness of the residents in addressing and providing health care to the diverse cultural needs of the patients. In detail, the following findings were eminent: “The CCCS assesses residents’ perceived culturalcompetence in the 3 arenas most often represented inmodels of cross-cultural care: (1) self-reported knowledge asreflected in preparedness to treat specific types of patients,manage specific issues and situations, or to provide certainservices; (2) self-assessment of skills; and (3) attitudes aboutthe importance of cross-cultural care and desire to workwith diverse patient populations” (Chun, Yamada, Huh, Hew, & Tasaka, 2010, p. 99). Implications for designing training programs on cultural competence and appropriate limitations were likewise noted; as well as the need for future research in developing training programs that address culturally diverse patients.

Implications for Practice The implications of the study are relevant in current delivery of health care and in managing health care practitioners with regards to the kind of cultural training needed to increase competencies, knowledge and attitudes towards cultural diversity of patients. As revealed, increased training, in conjunction with good role models contribute to increased development of skills that address cultural competence in health care. However, it was also emphasized that the kinds of training approaches need to be evaluated to ensure their effectiveness in developing competency levels.

The question therefore that one developed is: In the area of health management, what particular approach in training for improving cultural competency would be deemed most effective to work with culturally diverse patients?ReferenceChun, M., Yamada, A., Huh, J., Hew, C., & Tasaka, S. (2010). Using the Cross-Cultural Care Survey to Assess Cultural Competency in Graduate Medical Education. Journal of Graduate Medical Education, Vol. 2, No. 1, 96-101. Retrieved 26 February 2012, from