Measuring physicians' and medical students' attitudes toward caring for immigrant patients. 2010

Patricia Hudelson, and Noëlle Junod Perron, and Thomas V Perneger
patricia.hudelson@hcuge.ch

It is generally believed that culturally competent clinical practice depends in part on the development of positive attitudes toward the care of immigrant patients. However, few tools exist to measure such attitudes in physicians. The authors operationalized ''culturally competent attitudes'' to include a high level of interest in caring for immigrant patients, an acceptance of the responsibility of doctors and hospitals to adapt to immigrant patients' needs, and the opinion that understanding the patient's psychosocial context is particularly important when caring for immigrant patients. The authors then assessed these attitudes and opinions among a sample of 619 Geneva doctors and medical students using a self-administered questionnaire and explored their association to respondents' personal characteristics and professional experience. The authors found that both personal characteristics and professional experience were associated with attitudes toward caring for immigrant patients. In particular, the perceived importance of understanding the psychosocial context when caring for migrants was higher among medical students, women, Swiss nationals, those with greater interest in caring for immigrant patients and those who had received training in cultural competence. However, it is unclear whether cultural competence training and clinical context lead to the development of more positive attitudes or whether medical students and physicians who already have positive attitudes are more likely to participate in such training.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D010820 Physicians Individuals licensed to practice medicine. Physician
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D001291 Attitude of Health Personnel Attitudes of personnel toward their patients, other professionals, toward the medical care system, etc. Staff Attitude,Attitude, Staff,Attitudes, Staff,Health Personnel Attitude,Health Personnel Attitudes,Staff Attitudes
D013337 Students, Medical Individuals enrolled in a school of medicine or a formal educational program in medicine. Medical Student,Medical Students,Student, Medical
D013557 Switzerland A country in Europe. It is bordered by Austria, France, Italy, Liechtenstein, and Germany. The capital is Bern.

Related Publications

Patricia Hudelson, and Noëlle Junod Perron, and Thomas V Perneger
January 1991, Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association,
Patricia Hudelson, and Noëlle Junod Perron, and Thomas V Perneger
October 1996, American journal of human genetics,
Patricia Hudelson, and Noëlle Junod Perron, and Thomas V Perneger
May 1983, Ceskoslovenske zdravotnictvi,
Patricia Hudelson, and Noëlle Junod Perron, and Thomas V Perneger
December 2016, The journal of physician assistant education : the official journal of the Physician Assistant Education Association,
Patricia Hudelson, and Noëlle Junod Perron, and Thomas V Perneger
May 2006, Journal of the American Medical Directors Association,
Patricia Hudelson, and Noëlle Junod Perron, and Thomas V Perneger
January 2015, Journal of advances in medical education & professionalism,
Patricia Hudelson, and Noëlle Junod Perron, and Thomas V Perneger
January 1999, Death studies,
Patricia Hudelson, and Noëlle Junod Perron, and Thomas V Perneger
July 1993, Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica,
Patricia Hudelson, and Noëlle Junod Perron, and Thomas V Perneger
July 1987, Journal of medical education,
Patricia Hudelson, and Noëlle Junod Perron, and Thomas V Perneger
November 2003, Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer,
Copied contents to your clipboard!