The Effectiveness of Interventions to Enhance Ethnocultural Empathy Among Healthcare Providers: A Systematic Review of Intervention Studies
Author : Gizemnur Torun, Hande Albayrak
Abstract :This systematic review aimed to synthesize available evidence on the effectiveness of interventions designed to develop ethnocultural empathy among healthcare providers. Globalization, migration, and cultural diversity have increased the demand for cross-cultural care in healthcare systems. Ethno-cultural empathy emerges as a critical skill for emotional understanding, patient safety, service quality, and reducing health inequalities. However, the limited research assessing ethno-cultural empathy among healthcare professionals indicates the need for a systematic review of experimental interventions. This study was a methodological systematic review study. Following PRISMA guidelines, four electronic databases—PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science— were searched for studies published between 2005 and 2025. Eligible studies included peer-reviewed articles in English employing experimental or quasi-experimental designs. Interventions had to focus on enhancing ethno-cultural empathy in healthcare providers and assess related professional outcomes. Three studies met the inclusion criteria. Two used quasi-experimental designs, and one employed a 2x2 experimental design. Participants included general practitioners (n=1), a mixed group of medical, nursing, administrative and social assistance (n=1), and family medicine professionals (n=1). The interventions included simulated patient (n=1), simulation-based training (n=1), and structured training (n=1). Two studies reported improved ethnocultural empathy levels post-intervention, while one linked higher empathy with better clinical performance. While findings suggest potential benefits of these interventions, the limited number of studies provides insufficient evidence. Further research with more robust designs is needed to validate and expand on these results.
Keywords :Health care providers, ethnocultural empathy, effectiveness, systematic review.
Conference Name :International Conference on Transcultural Nursing and Strategies (ICTNS-25)
Conference Place Crete, Greece
Conference Date 19th Aug 2025
