title: Difficulties in using interpreters in clinical encounters as experienced by immigrants living in Sweden.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study a group of immigrants' experiences regarding interactions with primary health care through an interpreter.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Approximately, 230 million people are resettled outside of their own home country. Thus, more than 3% of the world's population are migrants. It is a major challenge for health care providers to satisfy immigrants' needs for individualised health care services.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Focus group interviews were conducted with four groups of immigrants (n = 24) from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo and Somalia. The group interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and analysed, and the text was categorised using the content analysis method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants' expectations of the interpreter-mediated consultations were high, but not always fulfilled. Interpreters being late, lacking professionalism or lacking knowledge in medical terminology and the use of health care professionals or relatives as interpreters were some of the problems raised.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A well-organised, disciplined interpreter service with professional and competent interpreters is needed to overcome problems regarding clinical consultations involving interpreters. A satisfactory language bridge has a significant impact on the quality of communications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interpreter services should be well organised, and interpreters should be linguistically, culturally and socially competent, as these factors may have a significant impact on consultation outcomes. Using relatives or staff as interpreters can sometimes be a solution but often results in an unsatisfactory clinical consultation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Ferid
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Krupic
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Mikael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hellström
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Clinical Centre, University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
authors.forename: Mirza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Biscevic
authors.affiliation: Orthopaedic and Traumatology Clinic, University Clinical Centre Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
authors.forename: Sahmir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sadic
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Care Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Nabi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fatahi
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D003144:Communication Barriers; D054521:Cultural Competency; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019303:Multilingualism; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011320:Primary Health Care; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013548:Sweden; D014175:Translating
keywords: encounter; health care; immigrant; interpreter; organisation; professionalism