Cultural Competence in Ophthalmic Dispensing Education: A Qualitative Study

Understanding and acknowledging cultural diversity in healthcare is essential in providing culturally competent care. Higher education institutions are critical to providing students with the necessary knowledge, attitudes, and skills to respond to cultural diversity in various contexts. Cultural competence teaching in ophthalmic dispensing education has emerged as an essential concept that needs to be included in the curriculum. This study explored ophthalmic dispensing lecturers' understandings, experiences, and attitudes in teaching cultural competence.

This study used a qualitative approach within an interpretivist paradigm by conducting semi-structured interviews with lecturers (n = 7) in the ophthalmic dispensing program. Braun and Clarke's framework for thematic analysis was utilized. The research was conducted at an ophthalmic dispensing department at a South African university.

The analysis of the semi-structured interviews indicated three main themes of importance regarding factors influencing cultural competence education in the ophthalmic dispensing curriculum: the interplay between experiences and understandings of cultural competence, cross-cultural exposure and teaching practices, and inclusion of cultural competence into the curriculum. The participants recognized that cultural competence was not explicitly included in the curriculum. Including culture in education was rather unsystematic and, in most cases, unplanned.

Further training of lecturers on cultural competence skills and evidence-based teaching and assessment strategies are required to assist in developing curricula that include cultural competence.