Some Aspects of Culturally Competent Communication in Health Care in the Republic of Macedonia

Abstract

Aim:To examine the existing situation, barriers and consequences of the intercultural communication in health institutions and to offer training models for strengthening and improving communication skills of health professionals in the Republic of Macedonia.Methods:A cross-sectional survey was conducted to assess the relationship between patients and health professionals. A total of 813 health professionals (302 physicians and 511 other medical staff) from different healthcare institutions, and 1016 patients participated in cross-sectional survey performed in autumn 2010.Results:The research has showed that each third examined patient thought that his/her physician or the other medical personnel had no understanding for his/her emotions and gave no answer to all of his/her questions. From the other side, 60% of the physicians declare that they have a good communication with patients speaking other language than their mother tongue. Only 60% of physicians said that they know good the culture of their patient and 52% of the other medical staff said that they adjusted the treatment to the patient culture (religion, attitudes, language, life style).Conclusion:There are some gaps in current provision of health care practice in an aspect of effective interactions and communication skills of health professionals to meet patient needs in a multicultural and multilingual setting. A training model is proposed for strengthening communication skills of health professionals.

Multiculturalism as a value in healthcare services in the Western Balkans

“…Additionally, clinicians may exhibit less empathy toward patients of diverse races and ethnic backgrounds and those belonging to low socioeconomic status (Roberts et al, 2021). In the Pollozhani et al (2013) study conducted in North Macedonia, every third patient who was examined believed that his or her doctor or other medical staff did not understand his or her feelings and did not have the answers to all of his or her inquiries. Migrants and minorities living in a country may face linguistic and cultural challenges to accessing certain healthcare services, such as health promotion facilities, screening services, and specialized care, increasing their risk of poor health status due to a lack of (suitable) care (Dauvrin et There are significant issues related to the healthcare services offered to non-dominant cultures in European contexts.…”

A concept analysis of intercultural communication

“…Some studies identified barriers to intercultural communication such as lack of understanding of different cultures, ethnocentrism, and stereotyping, and ways to overcome these barriers 19,36–38 . Several authors have focused on aspects of effective intercultural communication such as personality, cultural self‐efficacy, cultural intelligence, and other language‐specific skills 39–42 . One unique study by Paternotte et al 43 attempted to view intercultural communication through the eyes of the patients by questioning patients about their preferences and experiences regarding intercultural communication in the healthcare setting.…”

Inter-Cultural Communication Skills Training in Medical Schools: A Systematic Review

“…In contrast, one rural Australian medical school found relatively high levels of confidence on self-reported intercultural competence scales 19 but this varies across countries and between genders. 20 There are many frameworks and models describing the key elements in cultural competency education 4,9,21,22,23 . Common elements include awareness of world view, knowledge of other cultures, adaptability, appreciation of language differences, and awareness of personal biases.…”