Developing and Testing the Short-Form Knowledge, Efficacy, and Practices Instrument for Assessing Cultural Competence

Area of Science:

• Dental Education
• Health Professions Education
• Cultural Competence Assessment

Background:

• Cultural competence is crucial for dental education, yet reliable assessment tools are lacking.
• Existing measures need validation for oral health providers.
• The Knowledge, Efficacy, and Practices Instrument (KEPI) was developed to address this gap.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the latent constructs of the initial Knowledge, Efficacy, and Practices Instrument (KEPI).
• To assess the relationship between these constructs and previously identified factors.
• To refine the KEPI for consistent and reliable measurement of cultural competence in oral health.

Main Methods:

• Surveys administered to dental students, hygiene, assisting, and faculty members across 44 institutions (2012-2015).
• Analysis of 1,786 responses, examining demographic factors like gender and underrepresented minority (URM) status.
• Factor analysis to identify latent constructs within the KEPI.

Main Results:

• Three distinct latent constructs were identified within the KEPI.
• Female respondents scored higher on culture-centered practice and efficacy of assessment.
• Underrepresented minority (URM) respondents demonstrated higher scores across all three KEPI factors.
• The long-form KEPI could be reduced by ten questions without losing measurement validity.

Conclusions:

• The KEPI effectively measures cultural competence in oral health providers.
• Demographic factors influence cultural competence perceptions and practices.
• Further research is needed to expand the KEPI's applicability to diverse patient populations and conditions.