Responses to language barriers in consultations with refugees and asylum seekers: a telephone survey of Irish general practitioners.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Refugees and asylum seekers experience language barriers in general practice. Qualitative studies have found that responses to language barriers in general practice are ad hoc with use of both professional interpreters and informal interpreters (patients' relatives or friends). However, the scale of the issues involved is unknown. This study quantifies the need for language assistance in general practice consultations and examines the experience of, and satisfaction with, methods of language assistance utilized.

Methods

Data were collected by telephone survey with general practitioners in a regional health authority in Ireland between July-August 2004. Each respondent was asked a series of questions about consulting with refugees and asylum seekers, the need for l

SUBMITTER: MacFarlane A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2637872 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature