2015 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo

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Online Program

336426
Exploratory factor analysis of the strength of cultural affiliation scale for public health applications


Tuesday, November 3, 2015 : 11:15 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Julie Kruse, PhD, RN, College of Nursing, Lourdes University, Dundee, MI
Reg Williams, PhD, RN, School of Nursing, The Universiy of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Darlene Mood, PhD, School of Nursing, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
Audio (mp3) recording Recorded Presentation (mp4)
Background: Immigrants face a multitude of challenges when entering a host country. The number of residents in the United States today who are foreign-born is at a record high that represents a 313% increase compared to 50 years ago (slightly fewer than 10 million in 1960 versus approximately 40 million in 2010). Researchers have determined that individuals who are less culturally affiliated tend to have less positive health outcomes.

Methods: The researchers from this study assessed the reliability and validity of Mood's 18-item Strength of Cultural Affiliation Scale (SCAS) using factor anlysis.

Results: Confirmatory Factor Analyses using Principal Component Analysis with Oblimin Rotation indicated a16-item, 4 factor final solution with the following subscales: Factor 1= Lifestyle (7 items), Factor 2= Language and Cultural Specific Holidays (3 items), Factor 3= Relationships (4 items), and Factor 4= Cultural Health Practices (2 items). The SCAS demonstrated high reliability and content validity overall.

Conclusion: Understanding a patient’s cultural affiliation is important information for public healthcare practitioners to ascertain so they can plan culturally appropriate care. While many researchers attempt to measure acculturation and cultural affiliation, the instruments used to measure these concepts are not ideal for use in a public health setting (e.g. long length of instruments). Additionally, the SCAS contains cultural health practice related questions that are tailored for use in a healthcare setting. The answers to the questions posed in the SCAS can alert public healthcare practitioners to a patient at risk for cultural clash related to dominant culture healthcare traditions.

Learning Areas:

Diversity and culture
Public health or related education
Public health or related nursing
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Explain how cultural affiliation (or lack thereof) affects the health of immigrant populations. Identify 3 strengths and 3 limitations of the Strength of Cultural Affiliation Scale. Describe 3 ways that the Strength of Cultural Affiliation Scale would be beneficial to use in a public health setting.

Keyword(s): Immigrant Health, Public Health Research

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to be an abstract author on the content I am responsible for because I have conducted the factor analysis related to this research project. I have extensive academic preparation and field experience related to cultural development and care for disadvantaged populations as well as a certificate in international health and social development.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4167.0: Public Health Nursing & Health Disparities