Healthcare communication barriers with amazigh immigrant

  • Carla Ferrerós Pagès Grup de Lèxic i Gramàtica (GLG), Departament de Filologia i Comunicació, Facultat de Lletres, Universitat de Girona, España
  • Mònica Barrieras Angàs Grup d’Estudi de Llengües Amenaçades (GELA), Departament d’Educació Lingüística i Literària, i Didàctica de les Ciències Experimentals i de la Matemàtica, Universitat de Barcelona, España
  • Francesc Roca Urgell Grup de Lèxic i Gramàtica (GLG), Departament de Filologia i Comunicació, Facultat de Lletres, Universitat de Girona, España
  • Alícia Baltasar Bagué Grup de Lèxic i Gramàtica (GLG), Departament d’Infermeria, Facultat d’Infermeria, Universitat de Girona, España
Keywords: barrier communication, cultural diversity, immigration, health services, primary care, idioms of distress

Abstract

Introduction: Study about communication problems taking into account issues related to the institution and to patients’ language and culture. The expression of symptoms related to non-organic issues will be studied from a linguistic point of view as it generates misunderstandings that may go unnoticed by professionals. Objectives: The main objective is to analyse the communication barriers with immigrant patients of Amazigh origin. Specific objectives: analyse the available resources and the training in relation to the care immigrant patients receive; detailing strictly linguistic difficulties. Methodology: Qualitative. Descriptive. Setting: Hospitals and primary health care centers in Girona and Barcelona areas have been chosen at random. Participants: 32 informants: 13 doctors, 9 nurses, 4 intercultural mediators and 6 social workers. Process followed: A survey and a partially structured interview. For the analysis of the conversations and the interpretation of their content Atlas.ti 6.0 software was employed. Results: The healthcare professionals detected an unequal distribution and a lack of resources and time.  Possible communication difficulties go undetected in the majority of cases.  Conclusions: Some linguistic aspects may make the communication between healthcare professionals and patients speaking different L1 difficult. More resources and training coming from healthcare institutions would help solve this problem.

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Published
2020-12-15
How to Cite
Ferrerós Pagès, C., Barrieras Angàs, M., Roca Urgell, F., & Baltasar Bagué, A. (2020). Healthcare communication barriers with amazigh immigrant. Revista Española De Comunicación En Salud , 11(2), 217-225. https://doi.org/10.20318/recs.2020/5249
Section
Brief Originals