Exploring for the optimum medical communication, we conducted surveys to identify current language problems in medical and health care terminology, and to point out further issues. The results of the study are as follows: (1) Many people expect their doctors to give them explanations in language that is easy to understand, and not overburdened with difficult technical terms. Yet there is a continual proliferation of new and confusing medical terms, including Chinese character-based words, loanwords and acronyms, that people need doctors either to paraphrase or to explain. Likewise, doctors recognize the necessity to improve their communication skills to obtain better understanding from patients and their families. Efforts must be made to find a better way of paraphrasing and explaining difficult terminologies, starting with those terms which are in frequent use during medical consultations. (2) People prefer their doctors to use loanwords that convey newly introduced concepts, or expressions which soften the explicitness of the message, especially when they are given negative information such as the treatments in terminal cancer. This will help them to overcome their fear and worry, and to trust their doctors. For their part, doctors want to share medical information with their patients and their families, to establish rapport, and to carry out their medical treatments properly. In order to achieve better treatments, it is important to discuss effective communication strategies and to propose them to doctors. Cooperation between medicine and linguistics is essential for this urgent task.
医療コミュニケーション適切化のための医学・医療用語の課題 : 世論調査にみる国民の期待とそれに応える医師の工夫
kk_ngkgk_021_02.pdf
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運用指針、オープンアクセス方針、等
