Communication difficulties in perioperative anesthesia management for immigrant and refugee patients

Abstract

Healthcare providers who encounter different ethnic groups have been faced with serious communication problems with immigrant and refugee (I/R) patients. The perioperative period is very important for both anesthesiologists and patients. In this study, it was aimed to reveal anesthesiologists’ problems related to I/R patients and to propose solutions for determined problems. An online survey questionnaire about the quantity and quality of communication problems that anesthesiologists come across in the perioperative period was developed. 120 of the anesthesiologists (49.0%) were trying to communicate by using body language or dictionary. 65 (26.5%) of the anesthesiologists could not communicate with these patients at all. During the process of taking “Informed Consent Form” before the anesthesia practice, 125 of the anesthesiologists (51.2%) stated that used a form written in physician’s own language which was not understood by I/R patients. 76 anesthesiologists (31%) stated that they preferred general anesthesia instead of regional anesthesia because of language barriers. As a conclusion, the present study reveals that there are serious problems in the providing health care services regarding anesthesia to I/R patients especially due to the language barriers.