Abstract
BACKGROUND: Cultural competence is a crucial outcome of pharmacy programs because it may affect the medical care that patients receive. This study evaluates the level of cultural competence in pharmacy students before and after completing a social and behavioural pharmacy course. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, third (P3)- and fourth-year (P4) pharmacy students were assessed using an adapted version of a Self-Assessment of Perceived Level of Cultural Competence (SAPLCC)-validated instrument. Each domain and factor's score differences between P3 and P4 students were calculated and the total score for each student was calculated and compared between the two groups. The normalised scores of the students were categorised into low (< 2), moderate (2-3), or high (> 3) and the percentages of students in each category were calculated for both groups. RESULTS: A total of 272 pharmacy students have participated in the study. The knowledge domain showed the greatest increase in mean scores after the course, with a rise of 0.8 points (from 33.84 ± 9.42 to 34.64 ± 8.75). Understanding the context of care (Factor 2), showed the greatest increase in mean points after taking the course with a raise of 0.63 points (from 15.58 ± 4.44 to 16.21 ± 4.08). However, no significant differences were found between the scores of the two groups across any of the domains and factors covered by the SAPLCC tool. Both groups displayed intermediate normalised mean scores in the Knowledge, Skills, Encounters, and Abilities categories, and high normalised mean scores in the Attitudes and Awareness domains. CONCLUSIONS: The maximum points were not reached in any domain by P3 or P4 students. Therefore, to ensure that pharmacy students are prepared to deliver optimal healthcare services to patients from diverse cultural backgrounds, it is essential to incorporate sessions on health disparities and cultural competencies into traditional courses and practical training in the pharmacy curriculum.