Translation of interviews from a source language to a target language: examining issues in cross‐cultural health care research

Al‐Amer, Rasmieh; Ramjan, Lucie M.; Glew, Paul J; Darwish, Maram; Salamonson, Yenna

doi:10.1111/jocn.12681

Cited by 90 publications

(76 citation statements)

References 33 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Conceptual translation between languages and cultures is recognised to be an issue in both qualitative and quantitative research (Clark 2017; Al‐Amer 2015; Stevelink 2013). Regmi 2010 discusses the issues of translation (a direct and literal word‐for‐word process) and transliteration (a process of translating meaning which may not be word‐for‐word) in undertaking qualitative research in different language and cultural groups.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Provision and uptake of routine antenatal services: a qualitative evidence synthesis

Downe

Finlayson²,

Tunçalp

et al. 2019

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

110

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Antenatal care (ANC) is a core component of maternity care. However, both quality of care provision and rates of attendance vary widely between and within countries. Qualitative research can assess factors underlying variation, including acceptability, feasibility, and the values and beliefs that frame provision and uptake of ANC programmes.  This synthesis links to the Cochrane Reviews of the effectiveness of different antenatal models of care. It was designed to inform the World Health Organization guidelines for a positive pregnancy experience and to provide insights for the design and implementation of improved antenatal care in the future. Objectives To identify, appraise, and synthesise qualitative studies exploring: · Women’s views and experiences of attending ANC; and factors influencing the uptake of ANC arising from women’s accounts; · Healthcare providers’ views and experiences of providing ANC; and factors influencing the provision of ANC arising from the accounts of healthcare providers. Search methods To find primary studies we searched MEDLINE, Ovid; Embase, Ovid; CINAHL, EbscoHost; PsycINFO, EbscoHost; AMED, EbscoHost; LILACS, VHL; and African Journals Online (AJOL) from January 2000 to February 2019. We handsearched reference lists of included papers and checked the contents pages of 50 relevant journals through Zetoc alerts received during the searching phase. Selection criteria We included studies that used qualitative methodology and that met our quality threshold; that explored the views and experiences of routine ANC among healthy, pregnant and postnatal women or among healthcare providers offering this care, including doctors, midwives, nurses, lay health workers and traditional birth attendants; and that took place in any setting where ANC was provided.  We excluded studies of ANC programmes designed for women with specific complications. We also excluded studies of programmes that focused solely on antenatal education. Data collection and analysis Two authors undertook data extraction, logged study characteristics, and assessed study quality. We used meta‐ethnographic and Framework techniques to code and categorise study data. We developed findings from the data and presented these in a 'Summary of Qualitative Findings' (SoQF) table. We assessed confidence in each finding using GRADE‐CERQual. We used these findings to generate higher‐level explanatory thematic domains. We then developed two lines of argument syntheses, one from service user data, and one from healthcare provider data. In addition, we mapped the findings to relevant Cochrane effectiveness reviews to assess how far review authors had taken account of behavioural and organisational factors in the design and implementation of the interventions they tested. We also translated the findings into logic models to explain full, partial and no up...

show abstract

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Provision and uptake of routine antenatal services: a qualitative evidence synthesis

Downe

Finlayson²,

Tunçalp

et al. 2019

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

110

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…All interviews were transcribed and analysed in the language of the interview so that the original meaning of participants' narratives could be maintained (Al-Amer, Ramjan, Glew, Darwish, & Salamonson, 2015). Each transcript was read thoroughly and checked for accuracy before the coding process began.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

How people from Chinese backgrounds make sense of and respond to the experiences of mental distress: Thematic analysis

Yeung

Irvine

et al. 2017

Psychiatric Ment Health Nurs

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Introduction Late presentation and low utilization of mental health services are common among Chinese populations. An understanding of their journey towards mental health care helps to identify timely and appropriate intervention. Aim We aimed to examine how Chinese populations make sense of the experiences of mental distress, and how this understanding influences their pathways to mental health care. Method We undertook in-depth interviews with fourteen people with mental health problems (MHPs) and sixteen family members. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data. Results/Discussions Different conceptualization of mental distress and the stigma attached to MHPs explained why most participants accessed services at crisis points. Because of mental illness stigma, they were reluctant to seek help outside of the family. Participants used a pragmatic pluralistic approach to incorporate ritual healing and Western interventions to manage mental distress as they travelled further on the pathway journey. Families play a key role in the journey and are prepared to visit different parts of the world to seek traditional healers. Implications for practice Mental health nurses need to adopt a transcultural working approach to address mental health issues so that family will get the support needed to continue their caring role.

show abstract

“…As a consequence, it is deemed critical to transparently report the roles and demographic characteristics of both researchers and translators, reflecting on how they may have influenced the construction of data [4, 10, 12]. …”

Section: Translations In An International Cross-language/cross-culturmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Often data (quotes) are presented as if the participant was fluent in the target (English) language, which is not always (almost never!) the case [10]. Moving from one language into another and trying to have coherent texts in both, i. e. producing a normal-sounding or normal-reading text in the target language, implies making alterations of what was there in the original, requiring suppressions or additions [20].…”

Section: Translations In An International Cross-language/cross-culturmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Translation can be needed at different stages in the research process: A) prior to data collection (e. g. developing the interview guide or questionnaire) [6]; B) at data collection (e. g. during real-time conversation with participants) [7]; C) during data preparation (e. g. translating transcripts) [8]; D) during data analysis (e. g. translating codes/themes) [9]; and E) at dissemination of findings (e. g. translating quotes) [10]. The focus in this paper will be on the different challenges researchers may face during the translation of qualitative data as a preparation for collaborative data analysis in an international team, translating in the process of analyzing qualitative data in different languages, and translating during the writing up of the final results.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

‘How would you call this in English?’: Being reflective about translations in international, cross-cultural qualitative research

Helmich¹,

Cristancho²,

Diachun³

et al. 2017

Perspect Med Educ

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

IntroductionMedical education researchers increasingly collaborate in international teams, collecting data in different languages and from different parts of the world, and then disseminating them in English-language journals. Although this requires an ever-present need to translate, it often occurs uncritically. With this paper we aim to enhance researchers’ awareness and reflexivity regarding translations in qualitative research.MethodsIn an international study, we carried out interviews in both Dutch and English. To enable joint data analysis, we translated Dutch data into English, making choices regarding when and how to translate. In an iterative process, we contextualized our experiences, building on the social sciences and general health literature about cross-language/cross-cultural research.ResultsWe identified three specific translation challenges: attending to grammar or syntax differences, grappling with metaphor, and capturing semantic or sociolinguistic nuances. Literature findings informed our decisions regarding the validity of translations, translating in different stages of the research process, coding in different languages, and providing ‘ugly’ translations in published research reports.DiscussionThe lessons learnt were threefold. First, most researchers, including ourselves, do not consciously attend to translations taking place in international qualitative research. Second, translation challenges arise not only from differences in language, but also from cultural or societal differences. Third, by being reflective about translations, we found meaningful differences, even between settings with many cultural and societal similarities. This conscious process of negotiating translations was enriching. We recommend researchers to be more conscious and transparent about their translation strategies, to enhance the trustworthiness and quality of their work.

show abstract

Translation of interviews from a source language to a target language: examining issues in cross‐cultural health care research

Abstract: It is important that minority groups have a voice in health care research which, if accurately translated, will enable nurses to improve culturally relevant care.

Cited by 90 publications

References 33 publications

Provision and uptake of routine antenatal services: a qualitative evidence synthesis

Provision and uptake of routine antenatal services: a qualitative evidence synthesis

How people from Chinese backgrounds make sense of and respond to the experiences of mental distress: Thematic analysis

‘How would you call this in English?’: Being reflective about translations in international, cross-cultural qualitative research

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About