OHANA: Optimizing Cross-Cultural Care

NCT06944678 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: Project OHANA - ID 7512
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 20
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Increasing globalisation and international migration have led to greater cultural diversity in Western societies, including healthcare settings. Hospitals and healthcare environments have become meeting places for individuals from different cultural backgrounds. This diversity presents significant opportunities for improving healthcare, but also introduces complex challenges related to communication, trust and mutual understanding between healthcare professionals and patients. In this context, the concept of culturally competent care, i.e. the ability of healthcare professionals to provide respectful and appropriate care to patients by taking into account their cultural beliefs, values and practices, emerges as a crucial approach to address the specific needs of patients from different cultures. The concept of cultural competence was first introduced by Cross, who defines it as a set of behaviours, attitudes and policies that, when integrated into an organisation or among professionals, enable them to operate effectively in intercultural contexts.

Conditions

Cultural Competence

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Health workers' perceived utility of the cultural concordance system

  Assessed through thematic content analysis of semi-structured interviews.

  12 months

• Socio-demographic characteristics of health workers

  Collected using a socio-demographic questionnaire.

  12 months

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Patients' perceptions of the cultural sensitivity of care received

  24 months

• Socio-demographic characteristics of patients

  24 months

• Barriers to implementation of the cultural concordance system

  24 months

• Facilitators to implementation of the cultural concordance system

  24 months

• Development of evidence-based recommendations to improve cultural concordance

  24 months

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study will be conducted by enrolling participants who adopt a cultural concordance system.

You may qualify if:

• All nurses or caregivers involved in the concordance system cultural will be included, with direct experience in caring for foreign patients
• All foreign patients admitted to hospital who speak a language other than the main language of the host country and who have been involved in the concordance system cultural will be included

You may not qualify if:

• All patients with severe cognitive conditions that prevent participation and nurses or caregivers who do not work closely with assigned patients will be excluded.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS: lead

Study Sites (1)

Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS

Rome, 00168, Italy

RECRUITING

Study Officials

• Cristina Pistacchio, PI

  Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Cristina Pistacchio, PI

CONTACT

+393382458373; cristina.pistacchio@policlinicogemelli.it

Daniele Napolitano, Sub-I

CONTACT

+393382650440; daniele.napolitano@policlinicogemelli.it

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: CASE CROSSOVER
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 4, 2025
• First Posted: April 25, 2025
• Study Start: April 10, 2025
• Primary Completion: May 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): May 1, 2027
• Last Updated: August 26, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-08

Locations

IT (1)