Present situation and challenges of medical interpreters in Japan:Results of a questionnaire survey

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  • 外国人医療における医療通訳者の現状と課題<BR>—医療通訳者に対する質問紙調査より—

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Introduction<BR>The questionnaire survey was conducted among medical interpreters to clarify the duties of medical interpreters and the contents of training programs, and to analyze the challenges in practice.<BR>Methods<BR>The self-reported questionnaires were distributed to NPOs of medical interpreters, local international exchange associations, and hospitals with medical interpreters. They were directly collected to authors and analyzed.<BR>Results<BR>The number of valid responses was 284 (response rate: 33.4%). 46.1% of the respondents had worked as medical interpreters for 5 years or more. There were a few fulltime workers and 76.4% worked as a part-time interpreters. The respondents could interpret 14 languages including sign language. Only 8.5% of them had worked more than 20 times per month, while 68.3% worked less than 4 times per month. 54.4% of the respondents have had training of medical interpreting for more than 20 hours. The respondents answered their difficulties as medical interpreters between medical providers and foreign patients.<BR>Discussions<BR>This study was targeted at medical interpreters and revealed that many medical interpreters were working at hospitals and other health facilities. The training programs to develop knowledge, skills and ethical conduct are urgently needed to establish the professionalism of medical interpreters. The coordinators are essential to advocate the roles of medical interpreters to medical providers and foreign patients, and to support medical interpreters.

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