Abstract
Objectives: Mandated to provide services to unserved and underserved minority populations, independent living centers are seeking strategies to increase their service proficiency and outreach effectiveness. This need is currently being addressed through a training and research collaboration combining a service intervention model called Culture Brokering and the examination and analysis of the effectiveness of Culture Brokering training on outreach to culturally diverse communities of people with disabilities.
Study design: 50 participants attending Culture Brokering workshops were given pre and post questionnaires to measure their knowledge gained and any change in their cultural competence resulting from application of that knowledge. The independent variable for the study was the culture brokering workshops. The dependent variables were the scores assessed by the pre – post knowledge questionnaire and competence questionnaire. Nonparametric tests were used to analyze the pre-test and post-test knowledge questionnaire scores. A paired t-test was applied to the competence questionnaire scores between pre-test and post-test.
Results: Forty-one out of 49 participants (84%) increased their knowledge scores after the workshop. Workshop participants increased their cultural competence scores on 35 items of the 36 items (97%); 25 (69%) items were increased with statistical significance. Twenty-nine out of 41 participants (71%) increased their total scores after the workshop.
Conclusions: The results of this study revealed that culture brokering workshops had positive effects on participants' culture brokering knowledge and cultural competence. More research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of Culture Brokering training on consumer satisfaction and community outreach to minority populations.
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