Wearn Andy, Goodyear-Smith Felicity, Everts Hans, Huggard Peter
Department of General Practice & Primary Health Care, The University of Auckland, Auckland.
N Z Med J. 2007 Oct 26;120(1264):U2771.
To identify the frequency of non-English languages used in general practice consultations and to explore the effects on practice for general practitioners (GPs).
Randomly selected Auckland GPs were telephone-interviewed using standardised questions. Interview data were entered electronically in real time and audiotaped. Data were reviewed upon collection and analysed using constant comparison thematic content analysis. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS (v12) software.
Eighty GPs were interviewed. Forty-two spoke one or more languages apart from English. Thirty-one different languages were spoken, 83% of which were used in patient consultation. Most GPs (73/80) experienced language difficulties in practice. Three broad issues arose: English language proficiency per se, accented English, and physical problems affecting speech. Four themes reflected the influence of language difficulties on the encounter: information sharing, process effects, cultural issues, and use of interpreters.
Non-English language consultations occur commonly within current Auckland general practice with associated issues of misunderstanding and interpretation difficulties. GPs are often called upon to use their own language skills, especially Asian and Pacific Island tongues. Non-English speaking encounters frequently require additional time. Patients with some English language proficiency may cause more anxiety than those with none. Non-professional interpreters may colour or alter patients' meaning and accurate translation is required rather than 'interpretation'.
确定在全科医疗会诊中使用非英语语言的频率，并探讨其对全科医生（GP）诊疗工作的影响。
使用标准化问题对随机抽取的奥克兰全科医生进行电话访谈。访谈数据实时电子录入并录音。收集数据后进行审查，并使用持续比较主题内容分析法进行分析。定量数据使用SPSS（v12）软件进行分析。
对80名全科医生进行了访谈。其中42人除英语外还会说一种或多种语言。共提及31种不同语言，其中83%用于患者会诊。大多数全科医生（73/80）在诊疗工作中遇到过语言困难。出现了三个主要问题：英语本身的熟练程度、带口音的英语以及影响言语表达的身体问题。四个主题反映了语言困难对诊疗过程的影响：信息共享、过程影响、文化问题以及口译员的使用。
在当前奥克兰的全科医疗中，非英语语言会诊很常见，同时存在误解和口译困难等相关问题。全科医生经常需要运用自己的语言技能，尤其是亚洲和太平洋岛屿语言。非英语语言的会诊通常需要额外的时间。有一定英语水平的患者可能比没有英语水平的患者造成更多焦虑。非专业口译员可能会歪曲或改变患者的意思，因此需要准确的翻译而非“口译”。
