English Honors Papers

Document Type

Honors Paper

Publication Date

May 2007

Abstract

The ability to relay an idea or message to another is extremely powerful, as it requires coherence on the part of the communicator, and understanding on the part of the person one is communicating with. In terms of healthcare, a patient’s needs must be made clear to the Doctor. Likewise, a Doctor should be able to convey his/her thoughts to whomever is being treated. However, the success of such an interaction with Hispanics in particular is not only based on verbal efforts; body language, culture, and signs of respect all come into play (de Paula, Lagana, & Gonzalez-Ramirez 203, as cited by Kemp). Unfortunately, as a result of language barriers and a lack of familiarity with different customs, many Spanish-speaking patients are unable to obtain the optimal level of care from Doctors who are non-native speakers

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The views expressed in this paper are solely those of the author.