L'importance de la concordance linguistique dans les soins médicaux : le cas des patients francophones au Ghana
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37213/cjal.2023.32850Abstract
This article presents the importance of language concordance on healthcare received by Francophone patients in Ghanaian health centres. To do this, we present the effects of language barriers on patient management and the communication strategies used by the said patients. Based on results of interviews of 25 Francophone students (out of 32) who had visited health centres in Ghana, we discover that communication difficulties can have negative effects on healthcare access. Such effects include delayed consultation, extra cost due to poor diagnosis, and the risk of serious medical errors which could lead to the loss of life. To fill the communication gaps during medical consultations, most of the respondents resort to strategies such as using gestures and ad hoc interpreters. We suggest some recommendations for better management of minority language speakers in the Ghana healthcare system.
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