Communication Barriers in Interpreter-Aided Medical Care for Foreign Patients in Japan

• Nadamitsu Yoko

  Rikkyo University

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to shed light on issues involved in interpreter-aided medical communication. A total of 19 medical interpreters were interviewed in depth. The languages the interpreters dealt with included Chinese, English, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, and Vietnamese. The recorded interviews were fully transcribed as data and were analyzed and categorized using the coding procedure described by Strauss and Corbin (1990). Of several important themes that emerged in the interviews, this paper considers problems that were frequently mentioned by the medical interpreters as barriers to communication that cannot be overcome by their linguistic knowledge and skill alone. These fall mostly into two categories: (a) problems directly related to linguistic competence and (b) problems arising from communication style. Common language-related problems include (1) terminology (unfamiliar medical terms and idiomatic expressions), and (2) difficulties arising from the use of English as a third language. Communication style problems include, on the doctors' side, (1) insensitive remarks and behaviors, and (2) inadequate explanations. On the patients' side, problems in this category include (1) a reluctance to seek clarification, and (2) inconsistent descriptions of their medical complaints.

Journal

• Multicultural Relations

  Multicultural Relations 8 (0), 65-83, 2011

  Japan Society for Multicultural Relations

Keywords

• medical interpreter
• foreign patients
• interpreter-aided interaction
• communication barrier

Details

• CRID: 1390282680758934912
• NII Article ID: 110009605123
• DOI: 10.20657/jsmrejournal.8.0_65
• ISSN: 21898650
• ISSN: 13495178
• Text Lang: en
• Data Source:
  • JaLC
  • CiNii Articles
  • KAKEN
• Abstract License Flag: Disallowed