Abstract
BACKGROUND: The identification of psycho-oncological care needs and the initiation of supporting measures become increasingly important in outpatient oncological care. In the case of cancer patients who speak a foreign language and have insufficient knowledge of German, relatives often need to translate the medical consultation. OBJECTIVES: The aim was to examine the perspective of cancer patients and relatives regarding the translation of the medical consultation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A survey of cancer patients and relatives in seven hematology-oncology practices and two outpatient cancer clinics was carried out with questionnaires in 13 languages. RESULTS: Altogether, 184 people participated in the survey. Of those patients who stated that the medical conversation needed to be translated (34%), 16% felt (rather) uncomfortable with the translation by the accompanying person, 22% were (rather) unable to address intimate topics. Of the relatives, 27% stated that they would (rather) not translate all contents of the medical consultation in order to protect the ill person, 13% of relatives were (rather) uncomfortable translating intimate topics. In all, 42% of patients and 17% of translating relatives would (rather) prefer translations by professionals. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate possible difficulties, in particular in addressing sensitive topics, when relatives translate the medical consultation. Foreign language screening instruments may support the identification of psycho-oncological or psychosocial care needs.