Ahmed arrived recently in Canada as a refugee from Syria. He was diagnosed in the refugee clinic with prostate cancer and has arrived for a follow-up visit. The interpreter has called in sick and Ahmed speaks very little English. Ahmed’s 13-year-old son, Bashir, has accompanied him and is acting as a translator for his father. The health care team at the clinic would like to make some decisions today about treatment approaches, but Bashir seems uncomfortable with translating both questions and responses.
Discussion:
- What are the ethical concerns raised by this case?
- As a member of the health care team, how would you proceed?
- What types of refugee health resources might be developed to support patients, families, and health care teams?
Resources:
- White Coat, Black Art: One clinic, Hundreds of Languages. Here is how it works. Friday, December 02, 2016. One Clinic, hundreds of languages: Here’s how it works
- Juckett G. and Unger, K. (2014). Appropriate Use of Medical Interpreters. Am Fam Physician. 2014 Oct 1;90(7):476-480. Appropriate Use of Medical Interpreters
- NSHA Central line for interpreters: Accessing Interpretation Services NSHA
- McKeary, M. and Newbold B. (2010). Barriers to Care: The Challenges for Canadian Refugees and their Health Care Providers. Journal of Refugee Studies (2010) 23 (4): 523-545, Barriers to Care: The Challenges for Canadian Refugees and their Health Care Providers
