Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41622861›Full record

ArticlePrimary health care research & development2026

Mind the (cultural competency) gap: bridging cultural barriers in physiotherapy practice - a quality improvement project.

Manish Gohil, Christine Comer, Paul M Millington

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Primary health care research & development, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Manish GohilSenior Physiotherapist, Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust, Leeds, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-6219-2632
Christine ComerClinical Research Fellow, Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust, Leeds, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-9847-9408
Paul M MillingtonAssistant Professor, School of Allied Health Professions & Midwifery, Faculty of Health Studies, University of Bradfordhttps://ror.org/00vs8d940, Bradford, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-9632-0273

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe increasing diversity of the UK's population, along with significant inequalities in health outcomes among diverse cultural and ethnic groups, highlights the critical need for healthcare providers, including physiotherapists, to deliver culturally competent care. Research demonstrates that cultural competency (CC) in healthcare can enhance patient outcomes, improve treatment adherence, and address health inequalities. This quality improvement project aimed to evaluate the impact of a brief training intervention on perceived CC among physiotherapists engaging in cross-cultural, clinical encounters.

methodsThe design of this project was informed by principles of the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle. Musculoskeletal physiotherapists voluntarily participated in this educational intervention by completing a CC e-learning course developed by Health Education England. A retrospective evaluation method was used, where participants rated their awareness, knowledge, and skills in providing care to diverse patient groups after completing the training as compared to before.

resultsThe pre-and post-training responses assessed three constructs of CC: awareness, knowledge, and skills. Significant increases were observed in the mean scores for each construct, as well as in the overall aggregate CC score, indicating measurable improvements following the training.

conclusionsImprovement in CC is viable and achievable through targeted training. CC is a lifelong, dynamic process that requires ongoing education. Therefore, further PDSA cycles are recommended with more advanced educational sessions. Additionally, future projects should assess the impact of enhanced CC on patient outcomes and experiences. Cultural competency must encompass cultural issues beyond racial and ethnic differences.

Indexed as

Cultural CompetencyPhysical TherapistsPhysical Therapy ModalitiesQuality ImprovementAdultEnglandFemaleHumansMaleRetrospective StudiesUnited KingdomCultural competencyeducational programmeethnicityhealth inequalitiesphysiotherapyself-assessment

Identifiers

PMID41622861
PMCPMC12931987

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.