ABSTRACT

Language discordance poses a barrier to effective physician-patient communication, and health care outcomes, such as patient satisfaction, can be associated with language barriers experienced by Spanish-speaking patients. This exploratory study assessed specific aspects of communication between 128 Spanish-speaking primary care patients and their physicians (primary English speakers without an interpreter present). The rating scale developed for this study was used by five raters, who listened to audiotapes of each of these medical visits. Patients and physicians completed measures of visit satisfaction. Results indicated physicians with better Spanish-language skills were less frustrated with medical visit communication and more connected to their patients; patients whose physicians were rated as having better Spanish-speaking ability reported having greater choice in their medical care. Patients whose physicians spoke more Spanish were more satisfied with the information given by their physicians. Physicians rated as having better Spanish-speaking ability were more likely to say they could not understand all the patients wanted to tell them. These data support the importance of language concordance in physician-patient communication and awareness of potential communication barriers between physicians and patients.

摘要

语言不一致对有效的医患沟通构成障碍，而患者满意度等医疗保健结果可能与讲西班牙语的患者所经历的语言障碍有关。这项探索性研究评估了 128 名讲西班牙语的初级保健患者与其医生（主要讲英语，没有翻译在场）之间交流的具体方面。为这项研究开发的评分量表由五名评分者使用，他们听了每次就诊的录音带。患者和医生完成了就诊满意度测量。结果表明，具有更好西班牙语技能的医生在就诊交流中较少感到沮丧，并且与患者的联系更加紧密；医生被评为具有更好西班牙语能力的患者报告说他们在医疗护理方面有更多选择。医生说西班牙语越多的患者对医生提供的信息越满意。被评为具有更好西班牙语能力的医生更有可能说他们无法理解所有病人想告诉他们的事情。这些数据支持语言一致性在医患沟通中的重要性以及对医患之间潜在沟通障碍的认识。被评为具有更好西班牙语能力的医生更有可能说他们无法理解所有病人想告诉他们的事情。这些数据支持语言一致性在医患沟通中的重要性以及对医患之间潜在沟通障碍的认识。被评为具有更好西班牙语能力的医生更有可能说他们无法理解所有病人想告诉他们的事情。这些数据支持语言一致性在医患沟通中的重要性以及对医患之间潜在沟通障碍的认识。