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Project

OncoTolk: An explorative study on communication problems in interpreter-mediated consultations with migrant oncology patients.

Effective doctor-patient communication is of paramount importance in healthcare as an indicator for care quality and for affecting health outcomes. Due to the specific problems inherent in cancer and the complex decision making during emotional and value-laden topics (e.g. bad news delivery, truth telling, prognostication) effective doctor patient communication in oncology settings is even more important. There is evidence that when oncologists and patients do not share a common language and need to rely on interpreters, communication becomes even more challenging and numerous misunderstandings might occur. What remains under-investigated is the wide range of communication problems, the ways in which these communication problems occur, the reasons behind them and the impact they can have on the doctor-patient communication. The ultimate goal of this project is to improve the interaction  between i) patients, their next of kin, interpreters and doctors during interpreter-mediated consultations in oncology settings, and ii) doctors and professional interpreters during collaboration. We will do so by offering to all of them evidence-based recommendations on how to interact with each other during interpreter-mediated consultations in oncology settings.

Date:1 Oct 2018 →  30 Sep 2022
Keywords:Cancer, communication, migrant patients, interpreter, language barriers, oncology
Disciplines:Literary studies, Theory and methodology of language studies, Social medical sciences