The impact of health professionals’ intercultural competence on their attitudes toward immigrants

Abstract

Background

Health is a fundamental human right that must be protected without discrimination, and ensuring equal access to healthcare, especially for migrants, is a core principle of modern health systems.

Objective

This study aims to examine health professionals’ intercultural competence and investigate how this competence influences their attitudes toward immigrants.

Methods

Data were collected using two validated instruments: the Intercultural Competence Instrument for Health Professionals (20 items, for subscales) and the Determining Attitudes of Health Professionals Toward Immigrants Scale (14 items, three subscales). The study sample consisted of 353 health professional working in two public hospitals in Kocaeli, Türkiye. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage), the relationships between participants’ demographic and professional characteristics and their intercultural competence and attitudes towards immigrants were examined using Pearson correlation analysis, and the effect of intercultural competence on attitudes towards immigrants was evaluated using multiple linear regression analysis.

Results

The findings revealed significant differences in intercultural competence scores according to professional role, educational level, and experience working with immigrant populations. Attitudes toward immigrants also differed significantly depending on whether participants had experience providing care to immigrant patients. Correlation analysis showed a strong and statistically significant negative relationship between intercultural competence and negative attitudes toward immigrants.

Conclusion

The findings highlight the importance of improving intercultural competence among health professionals to promote more positive attitudes toward immigrant patients and to enhance the quality of culturally responsive healthcare services.