The relationship between cultural competence and ethnocentrism of health care professionals

The study examined the relationship between cultural competence and ethnocentrism among health care professionals. Physical therapists, occupational therapists, and nurses (N = 71) from three hospitals in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, participated in the survey research project. The survey questionnaire incorporated the Inventory for Assessing the Process of Cultural Competence Among Healthcare Professionals-Revised and the Generalized Ethnocentrism Scale. Cultural competence scores and ethnocentrism scores were inversely related (r = -.28, p =.017). Results suggest that cultural competence may not be entirely distinct from ethnocentrism. The construct of cultural competence warrants further study vis-a-vis its correlates and its impact on clinical outcomes.