Self-Reported Cultural Competence in Delivering Quality Care Among Primary Healthcare Physicians of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background Cultural competence among healthcare providers is essential in delivering quality care within diverse populations. Saudi Arabia's healthcare system faces unique challenges due to its multicultural patient base. This study aimed to assess the levels of cultural competence among primary healthcare physicians at King Fahad General Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 85 primary healthcare physicians at King Fahad General Hospital (Jeddah, SAU). A validated cultural competence assessment tool, titled 'Residents' attitudes, perceived preparedness, and self-reported clinical practice behavior,' was used to evaluate three domains, namely understanding social and cultural context, recognizing cultural factors, and preparedness to address cultural issues. Data were analyzed using non-parametric tests (Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis H) to examine associations between demographic variables and cultural competence scores, as the scores did not follow normal distribution. Results The highest competence was reported in recognizing cultural factors (median=86.6, interquartile range=27.2), followed by understanding social and cultural contexts (median=83.0, interquartile range=34.0), while preparedness to address cultural issues scored lowest (median=79.6, interquartile range=20.4). Among demographic factors, only specialty showed a significant association with cultural recognition (p=.02), with family medicine physicians scoring highest (mean rank=47.36), followed by general practitioners (mean rank=35.10). Conclusion Primary healthcare physicians at King Fahad General Hospital in Jeddah demonstrate strong awareness of cultural factors but are less prepared to address them in clinical practice. Targeted training, especially for specialties with lower recognition scores, is recommended to enhance practical cultural competence skills and improve healthcare delivery within Saudi Arabia's multicultural environment.