Ethnocultural sensitivity and measurement of consumer satisfaction

Stemming from the diversity in the U.S. population, ethnocultural factors no longer can be ignored when defining and assessing consumer satisfaction. Likewise, there is a critical need for process models that consider consumer heterogeneity. Continuous quality improvement (CQI) programs must look beyond whether or not services are accessible and cost-effective. The processes must also measure if services are acceptable and appropriate for a target population. This article describes how the discipline of anthropology can provide useful tools to obtain critically needed ethnocultural information.