Poster Presentation Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2024

A consumer-led study evaluating the values of Arabic-speaking cancer patients using professional interpreting services at a single Australian cancer outpatient clinic.    (#530)

Kelsey Serena 1 , Joanna Oakley 1 , Grace Gard 1 , Heidi Hassan 2 , Jo Cockwill 2 , Keith Donohoe 2 , Sufi Salieh 2 , Sheila Patel 2 , David Attwood 2 , Ying Wong 2 , Victor Joroh 2 , Nora Moubarak 2 , Skye Abraham 2 , Simmone Neil 2 , Justin Yeung 3 , Peter Gibbs 1
  1. WEHI, Parkville, VIC, Australia
  2. VCCC Consumer Program, Parkville
  3. Melbourne Uni, Melbourne

Background and Aims

 

Consumer-led research provides an innovative model to prioritise the voice of patients and carers in research. Professional interpreting services are essential to ensuring effective, bi-directional communication between patients and healthcare professionals (HCPs)1,2, yet previous studies on the experiences of Arabic-speaking cancer patients have demonstrated that patient values are not always reflected in this interaction3,4.

 

 

Methods

 

A consumer-led research group (CLRG) developed a research plan to explore the values of Arabic-speaking patients who utilise interpreters during their appointments at a cancer clinic. The CLRG completed a structured series of education sessions and formed the research question. A researcher was hired to conduct the research at Western Health, Melbourne. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with HCPs, interpreters, and Arabic-speaking patients who utilised the interpreting service between November 2023 and May 2024. Inductive thematic analysis was conducted on the interview transcripts by the researchers and the CLRG as co-researchers to produce a consensus list of themes. 

 

 

Results

 

Interviews were conducted with HCPs (n=4), interpreters (n=2) and Arabic speaking patients who utilised the interpreting service (n=1). The co-researchers identified key quotes from the interviews that suggest that patient values, such as (1) dialect, (2) gender preferences, and (3) informational needs are not routinely considered and are not reflected in the systems that facilitate the interaction between patient, HCP, and interpreter. A quantitative analysis of the data collected by the interpreting service suggests that the information needed to reflect these patient values (such as dialect, gender) is not collected.

 

Conclusions

 

Prioritising consumer voices in research invites the consideration of patient values and the way this impacts their experience with a health service. The collection of additional patient data,and subsequent linkage to interpreting service data, will facilitate high impact, value-based change for Arabic-speaking patients utilising the professional interpreting service.

  1. 1. Flores, G., Torres, S., Holmes, L.J., Salas-Lopez, D., Youdelman, M.K. & TomanyKorman, S.C. Access to hospital interpreter services for limited English proficient patients in New Jersey: A state-wide evaluation. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 2008;19: 391-415.
  2. 2. Krupic, F., Hellström, M., Biscevic, M., Sadic, S., & Fatahi, N. Difficulties in using interpreters in clinical encounters as experienced by immigrants living in Sweden. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 2016;25(11-12), 1721–1728. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.13226
  3. 3. Alananzeh, I., Ramjan, L., Kwok, C., Levesque, J. V., & Everett, B. Arab-migrant cancer survivors' experiences of using health-care interpreters: A qualitative study. Asia-Pacific Journal of Oncology Nursing, 2018;5(4):399–407. https://doi.org/10.4103/apjon.apjon_19_18
  4. 4. Hadziabdic, E., Albin, B., & Hjelm, K. Arabic-speaking migrants’ attitudes, opinions, preferences and past experiences concerning the use of interpreters in healthcare: a postal cross-sectional survey. BMC Research Notes. 2014;7(71). https://doi.org/10.1186/1756-0500-7-71