ULTURAL AWARENESS AND XENOPHOBIA LEVELS OF HEALTH TECHNICIAN CANDIDATES: EXAMPLE OF VOCATIONAL SCHOOL

The aim of the study was to examine the cultural awareness and xenophobia levels of health technician candidates studying in the health programs of a vocational school. The universe of the descriptive study consisted of all students enrolled in health programs in vocational schools (n=180). The research was completed with students (n=155) who were actively studying in the programs without making a sample selection. "Health Technician Candidate Information Form", "Intercultural Awareness Scale" and "Xenophobia Scale" were used as data collection tools. The analysis of the data was evaluated in a statistical program, and descriptive statistics, Independent-t Test and One Way ANOVA test were used. The students' cultural awareness levels were found to be 20.64±6.55 moderate levels, and their xenophobia levels were 51.86±12.73/high. In the study, it was determined that there was a significant relationship between the students who like to be together with people from different cultures and the cultural awareness scale (p<0.05). In the city where he studied; A significant correlation was found between the students who are not disturbed by the presence of immigrants/refugees and providing health care/service to them and the xenophobia scale mean score (p<0.05). In the study in which the relationship between students' cultural awareness levels and xenophobia was evaluated by correlation analysis, a negative and significant relationship was found (r=-0.025; p=0.002). As a result; It was determined that the cultural awareness of the health technician candidates was at a medium level and their xenophobia perception was at a high level.