title: Clinical cultural competency and knowledge of health disparities among pharmacy students.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the level of competency and knowledge about health disparities among third-year doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students at 2 Florida public colleges of pharmacy and to explore the demographic correlates of these variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey study design was used to collect data from participants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The students had low health-disparities knowledge and moderate skills in dealing with sociocultural issues and cross-cultural encounters. Speaking a language(s) other than English and having exposure to cultural-competency instruction were the demographic variables found to be most significantly associated with clinical cultural competency and/or knowledge of health disparities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinical cultural competency and health-disparities instruction may not be adequately incorporated into the pharmacy school curricula in the institutions studied. Relevant education and training are necessary to enhance cultural competency among pharmacy students.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA. ookoro@ufl.edu
authors.forename: Olihe N
authors.initials: ON
authors.lastname: Okoro
authors.forename: Folakemi T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Odedina
authors.forename: Romonia R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Reams
authors.forename: W Thomas
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001364:Awareness; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D054521:Cultural Competency; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D003479:Curriculum; D004512:Education, Pharmacy; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D011287:Prejudice; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012580:Schools, Pharmacy; D013339:Students, Pharmacy / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult