Cross Cultural Competence Among Health Care Professionals at District Headquarters Hospital Mirpurkhas: Assessing Preparedness and Impact on Quality of Care

Abstract

Background: Increasing cultural diversity within healthcare systems requires nurses to possess cross-cultural competence in order to deliver culturally congruent and patient-centered care. In multicultural societies such as Pakistan, differences in language, ethnicity, and cultural health beliefs can influence communication, treatment adherence, and overall healthcare outcomes. Despite the importance of culturally responsive care, empirical evidence assessing cultural competence among nurses in district-level healthcare facilities remains limited. Objective: To assess the level of cross-cultural competence among nurses working at District Headquarters Hospital Mirpurkhas, Sindh, Pakistan. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted among 95 nurses selected through non-probability convenience sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire consisting of demographic variables and the Ethiopian Health Workers’ Cultural Competence Scale (EHWCCS), which measures four domains: cultural health skills, cultural health awareness, cultural health desire, and cultural health knowledge. Responses were recorded on a five-point Likert scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20, and descriptive statistics including frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations were calculated. Results: The overall level of cross-cultural competence among nurses was moderate, with a mean score of 3.38 ± 1.29. Cultural health knowledge demonstrated the highest mean score (3.57 ± 1.18), followed by cultural health awareness (3.48 ± 1.34) and cultural health desire (3.45 ± 1.33). Cultural health skills recorded the lowest mean score (3.03 ± 1.29), indicating limited practical application of cultural competence in clinical practice. Conclusion: Nurses demonstrated moderate cross-cultural competence, with stronger knowledge and awareness than practical skills. Strengthening transcultural nursing education, communication training, and institutional support programs is essential to enhance culturally responsive healthcare delivery in diverse clinical settings.