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mHealth: A Game-Changer for Multilingual Service Encounters?

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Multilingual Healthcare

Part of the book series: FOM-Edition ((INTSE))

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Abstract

In this chapter we report on a simulation-based experiment which was set up to test a custom-made multilingual app. The app had been designed to facilitate healthcare consultations for immigrant mothers with limited proficiency in the host country’s language. We investigate to which extent the app advances the clarification of complex, abstract notions. In doing so, we focus on two questions: (i) Does technological facilitation reduce the time needed to explain abstract notions to the mothers? (ii) Does technological facilitation reduce the amount of hand gestures needed to explain the abstract notions? Relying on both experimental and qualitative research methods, we describe the results of a two-group between-subjects experiment, in which respondents (N = 12) were randomly assigned to either a consultation with app (N = 7), or a consultation without app (N = 5). The findings address lengthened visit time, a reduced usage of hand gestures, and additional training needs. The chapter closes with brief guidelines for unlocking the potential of technological mediation in multilingual healthcare.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    For an overview of the findings of more than 200 papers relating to primary care, see Li et al. (2010). See also Bigi and Rossi (forthcoming, this volume).

  2. 2.

    The app was designed by a team of linguists from the MULTIPLES research group (UGent) and developed by Bazookas, an independent software developer.

  3. 3.

    MULTIPLES—Research Centre for Multilingual Practices and Language Learning in Society.

  4. 4.

    https://www.multiplesapp.com/

  5. 5.

    The questionnaires can be consulted at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MelmQRpwUFPrS4zGFE04igd6QLp4dmSyeYGdUtXvOII/edit?usp=sharing.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

    Ellen Van Praet, July De Wilde & Abdil Karanfil

Authors
  1. Ellen Van Praet
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  2. July De Wilde
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  3. Abdil Karanfil
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ellen Van Praet .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. LCC – Department Angewandte Linguistik, ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften, Winterthur, Switzerland

    Christiane Hohenstein

  2. FOM Hochschule für Oekonomie & Management, Hamburg, Germany

    Magdalène Lévy-Tödter

Appendix A

Appendix A

List of ‘patience’ and time-related abstract notions. (Adapted from Brysbaert et al. 2014)

 

Stimulus

(Translation)

Concrete_m

Concrete_sd

Patience

Geduld

Patience

1.93

1.22

 

Rust

Calmness

2.47

0.99

 

Rustig

Calmly/slowly

2.47

1.30

 

Periode

Period

2.07

1.03

 

Tijd

Time

1.33

0.72

Time

Hoelang

How long

1.73

0.59

 

Soms

Sometimes

1.33

0.62

 

Maand

Month

2.67

1.40

 

Meer

More

2.60

1.72

 

Tijd

Time

1.33

0.72

 

Jaar

Year

2.07

1.10

 

Snel

Quick/fast

2.53

1.25

 

Week

Week

2.60

1.18

 

Een

One

2.13

1.55

 

Twee

Two

3.13

1.55

 

Drie

Three

3.20

1.47

 

Vier

Four

3.33

1.72

 

Zes

Six

3.47

1.60

 

Regelmatig

Regularly

1.87

0.74

 

Rustig

Calmly/slowly

2.47

1.30

 

Voordat

Before

1.53

0.92

 

Duren

To last/take

1.80

0.86

 

Eerst

First

2.53

1.41

  1. 1 = abstract; 5 = concrete; m = median; sd = standard deviation

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Van Praet, E., De Wilde, J., Karanfil, A. (2020). mHealth: A Game-Changer for Multilingual Service Encounters?. In: Hohenstein, C., Lévy-Tödter, M. (eds) Multilingual Healthcare. FOM-Edition(). Springer Gabler, Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-27120-6_11

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