title: Barriers to effective perioperative communication in indigenous Australians: an audit of progress since 1996.
abstract: This prospective study was designed to elucidate barriers limiting effective perioperative communication between indigenous Australians and anaesthetists, and to identify strategies for improving communication. A questionnaire was used to collect data on 1040 consecutive patients undergoing anaesthesia at Royal Darwin Hospital between February and March 2003. 27.1% of these patients described themselves as Aboriginal. Aboriginal patients were more likely to undergo emergency surgery and were more likely to be classified as ASA 3, 4 or 5 than non-indigenous patients. Communication difficulties were identified in 28.7% of all Aboriginal patients, which was 31 times higher than those in non-Aboriginal patients. The most common reason identified for this was difficulty in speaking English. Only 17.7% of Aboriginal patients presenting to the operating theatre spoke English as their first language. Unfortunately, the anaesthetic team utilized the Aboriginal interpreter service in only a minority of cases. Communication difficulty in indigenous Australians is pervasive and often goes unrecognized. The results suggest that heath care providers may need staff training in cross-cultural communication and that protocols need to be developed within the health care system so that interpreters are called upon automatically early in the admission process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory.
authors.forename: W Y C
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Blum
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Spain
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000776:Anesthesiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003144:Communication Barriers; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D015876:Northern Territory; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014175:Translating