Cross-cultural research: Challenge and competence

A model for cross-cultural translation and adaptation of speech-language pathology assessment measures: Application to the Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six (FOCUS©)

PURPOSE

In the absence of a gold standard, this study illustrates the process involved in the cross-cultural translation and adaptation of the FOCUS^© and its shortened version, FOCUS-34^© (the Parent Form and Instruction Sheet, as well as the Clinician Form and Instruction Sheet), while also determining the social validity and clinical applicability of the translated measure. The target language used as example was Afrikaans, one of the 11 official languages of South Africa.

METHOD

A two-phase cross-cultural translation model was employed in which Phase 1 (comprising a six-step blind back-translation procedure) was sequentially followed by Phase 2 (social validation and clinical applicability of the measure, using focus groups with stakeholders).

RESULT

The extensive process followed in Phase 1 resulted in a clear and appropriate translation acceptable to both stakeholder groups (parents and speech-language pathologists). Both groups questioned the meaning of certain concepts, explored cultural differences and requested the extension of some items. Parents also shared their emotional reactions towards assessment, while therapists focussed on editorial changes to the measures.

CONCLUSION

A framework is proposed for cross-cultural translation and adaptation of assessment measures with suitability in the speech-language pathology discipline.

Factors related to privacy of Somali refugees in health care

BACKGROUND

Privacy is one of the key principles in health care and requires understanding of the cultural aspects of patients' privacy. In Western cultures privacy is focused on the individual, however, in some non-Western cultures, privacy is linked to the collectivism of the community or religion.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study is to describe the factors related to the realisation of privacy of Somali refugees in health care by describing the factors related to the patient, healthcare professional and interpreter.

RESEARCH DESIGN

The data were collected from Somali refugees (N = 29) using a qualitative questionnaire and were analysed by deductive content analysis based on factors related to the patient, healthcare professional and interpreter.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATION

Ethical approval was obtained from the University of Turku, and research permissions were obtained from all participating institutions.

FINDINGS

Factors related to the patient were as follows: privacy was realised when the patient had self-determination; was able to act according to Somali culture; had knowledge and understanding of treatment; and trusted the healthcare professional. Factors related to the healthcare professional were as follows: the healthcare professional was expected to be of the same gender as the patient, act professionally, focus on the health issues, and to have knowledge and understanding of the Somali culture. Factors related to the interpreter were as follows: the presence and Somali background of the interpreter decreased privacy; the interpreter was expected to be of the same gender as the patient; to have competence and to behave professionally.

DISCUSSION

Gender congruence, professionalism and caring attitude and common understanding between the Somali patient and Finnish provider increase the privacy of Somali patients.

CONCLUSION

Somali patients' privacy can be improved by increasing healthcare professionals' understanding of Somali culture, acknowledging the importance of gender concordance in relation to healthcare professionals and interpreters, and the effect of the presence of the interpreter on patients' privacy.

Strategies for conducting health research with Latinos during times of political incivility

AIM

The current US political climate towards immigrants introduces new challenges for researchers already struggling to recruit and retain Latino participants in health research. The purpose of this work is to illuminate how current political incivility further deters participation by Latinos in research and present strategies to overcome these challenges.

DESIGN/METHODS

In this discursive piece, we describe how political incivility serves as a proxy for discrimination, discusses the impact of political incivility on health and health outcomes and explores existing knowledge of recruitment and retention strategies in the light of a current, adversely impacted health study with Latinos during the 2016 election season.

RESULTS

Future work should consider the critical contextual factors (including political incivility) faced by Latinos in the US, while continuing to engage in established research strategies such as increasing trust, developing strong community presence, reducing risks (real and perceived) and being thoughtful in research design and implementation.

A Culturally Sensitive Approach to Large-Scale Prevention Studies: A Case Study of a Randomized Controlled Trial With Low-Income Latino Communities

In response to U.S. federal mandates to increase the presence of underrepresented populations in prevention research, investigators have increasingly focused on using culturally sensitive research practices. However, scholars have rarely discussed these practices in terms of a larger culturally sensitive framework. Further, while the literature has explored how culturally sensitive approaches can be employed in a variety of methods, there has been little examination of how to incorporate such approaches into experimental designs. In this paper, we explain how we incorporated a culturally sensitive framework in a cluster randomized field trial with over 3000 predominantly low-income Latino families, utilizing an intervention designed to improve social relations and enhance family functioning. We offer conceptual and practical examples to guide other researchers who want to adopt a similar approach in their research designs. In addition, we discuss the benefits of forging local partnerships throughout the research process to ensure respect for racial and ethnic minorities participating in social and behavioral experimental studies. We conclude with practical considerations for utilizing a culturally sensitive framework to advance prevention programs, policies, and practices among underrepresented groups in order to achieve the ultimate goal of addressing the traditional underrepresentation of racial and ethnic minorities in research.

Planning focus group interviews with asylum seekers: Factors related to the researcher, interpreter and asylum seekers

The aim of this article was to discuss factors related to the researcher, interpreter and asylum seekers when planning focus group interviews with asylum seekers. Focus group interview is one of the basic data collection methods in descriptive nursing and health research. It has been used in multicultural research, allowing an opportunity to participate without literacy and to have linguistic and cultural support from other participants. Asylum seekers form a specific, vulnerable group, and the growing number of asylum seekers increases the need for research related to them. A culturally, methodologically and ethically high-quality focus group interview is based on the researcher's special knowledge and skills, acknowledgement of asylum seekers as both individuals and part of cultural and communal groups, and careful planning of the interpreter's role during the interviews.

A Personal Touch: The Most Important Strategy for Recruiting Latino Research Participants

People from non-White racial groups and other underserved populations, including Latinos, are frequently reluctant to participate in research. Yet their participation into research is foundational to producing information that researchers and health care providers need to address health disparities. The purpose of this article is to describe challenges we have encountered along with culturally relevant strategies we used in five research studies to recruit Mexican American participants from community settings, some of whom were also of low socioeconomic status. We found that the most effective recruitment strategies reflect the common cultural values of personalismo, simpátia, confianza, respeto, and familismo.