Shared Language Is Essential: Communication in a Multiethnic Obstetric Care Setting

Abstract

This study focuses on communication and conceptions of obstetric care to address the postulates that immigrant women experience sensitive care through the use of an ethnically congruent interpreter and that such women prefer to meet health providers of the same ethnic and gender profile when in a multiethnic obstetrics care setting. During 2005–2006, we conducted in-depth interviews in Greater London with immigrant women of Somali and Ghanaian descent and with White British women, as well as with obstetric care providers representing a variety of ethnic profiles. Questions focused on communication and conceptions of maternity care, and they were analyzed using qualitative techniques inspired by naturalistic inquiry. Women and providers across all informant groups encountered difficulties in health communication. The women found professionalism and competence far more important than meeting providers from one's own ethnic group, while language congruence was considered a comfort. Despite length of time in the study setting, Somali women experienced miscommunication as a result of language barriers more than did other informants. An importance of the interpreter's role in health communication was acknowledged by all groups; however, interpreter use was limited by issues of quality, trust, and accessibility. The interpreter service seems to operate in a suboptimal way and has potential for improvement.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank all the health care providers and women from Greater London as well as Sir Sabaratnam Arulkumaran, professor at St. Georges Hospital, London, and Mr. Onsy Louca, clinical director at Northwick Park Hospital, London, for facilitating the research process. This work was supported by the Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research (FAS 2005–06) and the faculty of Medicine at Uppsala University, Sweden.