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Understanding patient needs without understanding the patient: the need for complementary use of professional interpreters in end-of-life care
- Source :
- Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy. 20:477-481
- Publication Year :
- 2017
- Publisher :
- Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2017.
-
Abstract
- High-quality doctor-patient communication in end-of-life care results in better quality of life for patients. In linguistically and culturally diverse societies, language discordant consultations become daily practice, leading to difficulties in eliciting patient preferences toward end-of-life care. Although family members invariably act as informal interpreters, this may cause some ethical dilemmas. We present a case of a palliative patient whose son acted as an interpreter. This case generated a triple- layered ethical dilemma: (i) how to safeguard patient autonomy against paternalistic interventions by family members, (ii) how to respect the relational context in which patient autonomy can be realized, and (iii) how to respect the ethno-cultural values of the patient and his family. These issues are being discussed and reflected upon within the framework shared decision making involving informal- and professional interpreters. The complementary use of professional interpreters next to family members acting as informal interpreters is recommended.
- Subjects :
- Health (social science)
Palliative care
Medical law
Education
Paternalism
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Quality of life (healthcare)
Nursing
Health care
Humans
Medicine
030212 general & internal medicine
Cultural Competency
Aged
Language
Terminal Care
business.industry
Health Policy
Translating
Philosophy of medicine
030220 oncology & carcinogenesis
Personal Autonomy
Ethical dilemma
Quality of Life
Female
Patient Participation
business
Social psychology
End-of-life care
Confidentiality
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 15728633 and 13867423
- Volume :
- 20
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....e946c8774117f43ffbc88f8ae4a8ad44