Public understanding of medical terminology: non-English speakers may not receive optimal care
Public understanding of medical terminology: non-English speakers may not receive optimal care
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公众对医学术语的理解：非英语人士可能无法获得最佳护理
DOI：
10.1136/emj.17.2.119
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发表时间：
2000
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
A. Roalfe
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
M. Cooke;Sue Wilson;P. Cox;A. Roalfe
介绍-许多电话分类系统正在开发中（包括NHS Direct、全科医生非工作时间中心、救护车服务）。这些依赖于从调用者确定关键事实的能力。意识水平是颅脑损伤后的重要指标，也是病情严重的指标。目的-确定公众对无意识这个术语的理解。方法-共有700人被问及与他们对无意识一词的理解相关的七个问题中的一个。所有的参与者都是成年人，他们能说足够的英语来给护士提供病史。结果：对无意识一词的正确理解在46.5%到87.0%之间变化。以英语为第一语言的学生对语言的理解能力更强（p<0.01），并且在种族之间存在显著差异（p<0.05）。结论-对无意识一词的理解是穷人和更糟的那些英语不是第一语言。决策不应依赖于使用无意识等技术术语对问题的解释，这些术语在专业人士和外行人之间可能有不同的含义。
Introduction—Many systems of telephone triage are being developed (including NHS Direct, general practitioner out of hours centres, ambulance services). These rely on the ability to determine key facts from the caller. Level of consciousness is an important indicator after head injury but also an indicator of severe illness. Aims—To determine the general public's understanding of the term unconscious. Methods—A total of 700 people were asked one of seven questions relating to their understanding of the term unconscious. All participants were adults who could speak sufficient English to give a history to a nurse. Results—Correct understanding of the term unconscious varied from 46.5% to 87.0% for varying parameters. Those with English as their first language had a better understanding (p<0.01) and there was a significant variation with ethnicity (p<0.05). Conclusions—Understanding of the term unconscious is poor and worse in those for whom English is not a first language. Decision making should not rely on the interpretation of questions using technical terms such as unconscious, which may have a different meaning between professional and lay people.