Agents of empathy: How medical interpreters bridge sociocultural gaps in genomic sequencing disclosures with Spanish-speaking families

PATIENT EDUCATION AND COUNSELING

卷:102

Article

Gutierrez, Amanda M.¹  Statham, Emily E.¹  Robinson, Jill O.¹  Slashinski, Melody J.²  Scollon, Sarah^3,4  Bergstrom, Katie L.^3,4  Street, Richard L., Jr.^5,6,7  Parsons, D. Williams^3,4  Plon, Sharon E.^3,4  McGuire, Amy L.¹ 

[1] Baylor Coll Med, Ctr Med Eth & Hlth Policy, Houston, TX 77030 USA

[2] Univ Massachusetts, Sch Publ Hlth & Hlth Sci, Amherst, MA 01003 USA

[3] Baylor Coll Med, Dept Pediat, Houston, TX 77030 USA

[4] Texas Childrens Hosp, Texas Childrens Canc Ctr, Houston, TX 77030 USA

[5] Texas A&M Univ, Dept Commun, College Stn, TX USA

[6] Baylor Coll Med, Dept Med, Houston, TX 77030 USA

[7] Michael E DeBakey VA Med Ctr, Ctr Innovat Healthcare Qual Effectiveness & Safet, Houston, TX USA

关键词: Cultural competency;    Communication barriers;    Empathy;    Genetics;    Healthcare disparities;    Limited English proficiency;    Spanish-speakers;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.pec.2018.12.012

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

Objectives: To describe how linguistic tools used by interpreters during return of genomic sequencing results may have impacted communication with Spanish-speaking families, and to discuss the implications for the role of medical interpreters. Methods: Using discourse analysis, we identified and categorized the various ways hospital-based interpreters adapted clinicians' language in 37 audio-recorded sessions in which Spanish-speaking parents participating in a clinical trial received their child's genomic sequencing results from English-speaking clinicians. Results: We found that interpreters adapted clinicians' statements using five empathic linguistic tools: contextualization, encouragement, checking comprehension, endearment, and softening. Interpreters used an average of four linguistic tools per session, with contextualization and encouragement being the most frequently used. Conclusions: Interpreters used empathic linguistic tools to alter clinicians' statements when communicating genomic information to Spanish-speaking families. Our findings demonstrate the critical role of interpreters as cultural mediators and facilitators of understanding for Spanish-speaking families. Practice implications: This study expands upon the definition of clinical empathy in interpreter-mediated sessions. Our findings suggest that revisions of standards of medical interpretation practice may be warranted regarding interpreters' ability to adapt clinicians' language in a culturally sensitive manner during interpretation. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

【 授权许可】

Free