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Erschienen in: Supportive Care in Cancer 2/2011

01.02.2011 | Original Article

From inside the bubble: migrants’ perceptions of communication with the cancer team

verfasst von: Phyllis N. Butow, Ming Sze, Priya Dugal-Beri, Michelle Mikhail, Maurice Eisenbruch, Michael Jefford, Penelope Schofield, Afaf Girgis, Madeleine King, David Goldstein, on behalf of the Psycho-Oncology Co-operative Research Group (PoCoG)

Erschienen in: Supportive Care in Cancer | Ausgabe 2/2011

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Abstract

Purpose

Migrants with cancer struggle to communicate with their health care team. This study aimed to identify health-care related unmet needs and communication issues for migrants who develop cancer and factors associated with these challenges. In this paper, the findings related to communication issues are presented.

Patients and methods

Seventy-three cancer patients diagnosed within the previous 3 years and 18 carers, who had migrated to Australia and spoke the designated languages, participated in focus groups or structured interviews. Participants were recruited from ethnic community support organisations, support groups and Oncology clinics within three metropolitan hospitals in two states of Australia. Focus groups and semi-structured interviews were conducted in participants’ own language or English as preferred, audio-taped, transcribed and translated into English and analysed using qualitative methods.

Results

Four themes emerged: (1) cultural isolation, alienation and identification; (2) language and communication difficulties; (3) interpreter issues; and (4) advice for health professionals. Participants, especially those less acculturated, described feeling alone and misunderstood, failing to comprehend medical instructions, being unable to communicate questions and concerns and a lack of consistency in interpreters and interpretation.

Conclusions

Migrants with cancer experience additional challenges to those of native-born patients. Participants provided cogent advice regarding optimal communication with people from their culture. There is clearly a need to develop strategies to increase the cultural competence of care to people from different countries.
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Metadaten
Titel
From inside the bubble: migrants’ perceptions of communication with the cancer team
verfasst von
Phyllis N. Butow
Ming Sze
Priya Dugal-Beri
Michelle Mikhail
Maurice Eisenbruch
Michael Jefford
Penelope Schofield
Afaf Girgis
Madeleine King
David Goldstein
on behalf of the Psycho-Oncology Co-operative Research Group (PoCoG)
Publikationsdatum
01.02.2011
Verlag
Springer-Verlag
Erschienen in
Supportive Care in Cancer / Ausgabe 2/2011
Print ISSN: 0941-4355
Elektronische ISSN: 1433-7339
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-010-0817-x

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