Investigating the challenges of medical interpreting in the refugee context in Jordan

Abstract

Medical interpreting in refugee context poses a number of challenges to interpreters. These challenges can influence their health and mental wellbeing, their performance, the accuracy of interpretation, the quality of patient-physician communication and the delivery of medical care. Untrained medical interpreters are more likely to develop psychological disorders and make interpretation errors, which may lead to adverse patient outcomes. However, there is lack of empirical studies on medical interpreting in refugee contexts and its implications as well as the interpreters’ needs including training and mental support. In addition to increasing empirical evidence about medical interpreting especially in refugee contexts, this study aimed at investigating the challenges encountered by interpreters working in healthcare in refugee settings, examining the provision of medical interpreting training in Jordan, exploring available medical interpreting training, if any, and understanding the needs of interpreters working in healthcare in refugee settings.

Thesis embargoed until 31 July 2025.

Date of Award	Jul 2022
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Queen's University Belfast
Supervisor	Piotr Blumczynski (Supervisor) & Neil Sadler (Supervisor)