Occupational therapy practice with clients from non‐English speaking backgrounds: A survey of clinicians in south‐west Sydney

Abstract

Australia is a multicultural society and this has important implications for the health care worker. The aim of this study was to investigate the experiences of occupational therapists who work with clients from non‐English speaking backgrounds (NESB). The ‘cross‐cultural therapy questionnaire’ was developed by the author and distributed to 65 occupational therapists employed in either the South‐Western Sydney Area Health Service or Western Sydney Area Health Service. Issues explored in this questionnaire included barriers to cross‐cultural care, strategies employed to overcome these barriers and theoretical models used to guide practice with ethnic clients. It was found that the majority of respondents experienced a number of obstacles to cross‐cultural care within occupational therapy practice. An extensive list of strategies for overcoming cross‐cultural barriers was compiled. The implications of these results for the profession of occupational therapy are discussed and future research directions are suggested.

Lost in translation: exploring therapists’ experiences of providing stroke rehabilitation across a language barrier

“…Previous studies have suggested that differences in cultural models of rehabilitation between therapists and patients may influence the therapeutic relationship and lead to incompatibility of goals [9,23,24]. The current study supported these findings, but also added new information that therapists find it more difficult to negotiate and bridge these cultural perspectives when there is a language barrier.…”

“…Engagement could conceivably become more difficult when there is a language barrier, but this does not appear to have been explored previously. Cultural attitudes have been identified as a factor in care provision and rehabilitation, and it has been noted that there may be a dissonance in cultural attitudes between therapists and clients [9,[23][24][25]. It is plausible that individuals, professionals and care-givers may be less likely to overcome cultural differences if they are not able to discuss different attitudes and approaches clearly due to a language barrier.…”

“…Use of interpreters was cited as a strategy used by therapists to overcome barriers [9]. Other studies of language barriers in healthcare have primarily focussed on the use of interpreters.…”

Cultural issues from practice

“…One way t o begin to address this question. as Phipps (1995) pointed out. is to explore what practising therapists identify as the key issues.…”

“…The one research article specifically addressing cultural issues encountered in practice was based on 65 responses to a mailed-out questionnaire sent to therapists working in south-west Sydney (Phipps, 1995). Our paper.…”