Student Perceptions of Providers' Cultural Competence, Attitudes Towards Providers, and Patient Satisfaction at a University Health Center: International and U.S. Student Differences

Cultural competency is an important skill for healthcare providers because it can adversely impact the outcomes of this service. Providers at university health centers interact with a variety of patients, given the diverse nature of university populations. The present study surveyed international and domestic U.S. students about their perceptions of university health care providers’ cultural competence, their own attitudes toward university health center providers, and overall satisfaction with university health center providers. Results demonstrated generally positive attitudes and satisfaction, but more negative perceptions of provider cultural competence were identified especially when students perceived problems with providers’ language competence and interest in learning about patients’ backgrounds. International students reported more positive attitudes concerning providers’ cultural competence than U.S. students. Implications of the findings are discussed, along with limitations of the study and suggestions for future research.