2.3 Case Studies

Case 1 – Lost in Translation

Mrs. A, a recent refugee from Sierra Leone gave birth to a baby girl. The newborn was diagnosed with Down Syndrome with ventricular septal defect and admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). An NICU nurse noted that Mrs. A spoke “broken English” and contacted the child protection agency.

Upon assessment by the agency, it was discovered that 2 of Mrs. A’s 4 children had died in Sierra Leone, both under the age of 5. This finding, along with Mrs. A’s perceived low level of intelligence, broken English, and hearing deficit resulting from a bomb attack, gave rise to concern. It was also noted that Mrs. A placed a small pillow in the baby’s crib.

The agency was concerned about Mrs. A’s ability to care for her child and recommended the child be placed with a foster parent. All communication with Mrs. A was done through her older son who had immigrated to Canada a few months earlier.

Question: How would you approach this case if you were Mrs. A’s family doctor?

Lost in Translation¹…

• Mrs. A arrived to Canada speaking Krio, a Creole language native to Krios spoken by 4 million people in Sierra Leone.
• Mrs. A’s Krio was misinterpreted as broken English, suggesting lower intelligence
• The death of 2 of her children was regarded as poor parenting capacity, yet the under-5 mortality is 30% in Sierra Leone and given Mrs. A’s experience as a refugee, this is not exceptional

Adapted from: Pottie, K. (2007) Misinterpretation. Language proficiency, recent immigrants, and global health disparities Can Fam Physician. 2007 Nov;53(11):1899-901

Case 2 – Palliative Care Discussions

Ms. V is an 80 year old female who resettled from Sri Lanka to Canada 16 years ago with her husband and son during the Sri Lankan Civil War. Recently, Ms. V has been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer and the oncologists are suggesting palliative care. Ms. V appears to be very stoic and attends her appointment with her son, who acts as an interpreter.

Culturally Competent End-of-Life Care…

Question 1: What ways could an individual’s culture, ethnicity, and/or religion influence his or her experience of a terminal illness? What cultural facets must be considered when communicating with Ms. V and her son?

• Even after living in Canada for a prolonged period of time individuals may draw heavily on their cultural background and spirituality when dealing with death
• Cultural gaps between families and health care providers can be accentuated with language barriers and various life experiences. These gaps can be bridged by the help of cultural health brokers who not only act as interpreters, but also understand the cultural context of a patient
• A culturally sensitive approach considers the immigrant’s life experiences, spiritual/religious needs, as well as their traditions and communication styles
• One’s ethnic and cultural identity may influence the expression of pain and suffering, as well as their belief about the causes and meaning of their illness. For example, in this case Ms. V appears stoic and goes on to expresses that she believes that her terminal illness is a result of karma and negative actions in her previous life. Non-judgemental communication and support must be facilitated to help her process and grieve information in a way that aligns with her beliefs and culture

Question 2: How can communication be tailored when working with immigrants and refugees in a palliative care setting?

• It is important that all relevant information is being understood by the patient and their family. To achieve this, trained 3^rd party interpreters should be used whenever available when having sensitive conversations with patients
• Use simple language and avoid sayings that could be easily misunderstood or miscommunicated through interpretation
• Certain cultures may use distinct descriptors for pain or suffering that could lead to a misunderstanding of an individual’s experience. For example, in the Chinese tradition there is a significant distinction between the words for pain, pressure and discomfort. This could lead to a miscommunication if questions are not properly phrased. Asking a patient “are you in pain?” may not result in a true understanding of what the patient is experiencing, if they instead would describe their sensation as “pressure” or “discomfort”. As such, health providers should make an effort to ask open ended questions

Question 3: What core palliative care concepts should be applied to Ms. V?

Adapted from: Silbermann M, Baider L, Respini D, Tralongo P, Daher M, et al. (2018) Palliative Care is a Useful Means to Overcome Intercultural Barriers Faced by Refugees in their New Host Countries. J Palliat Care Med 8: 334. DOI: 10.4172/2165-7386.1000334

Case 3 – Global Mental Health

Ms. Z recently arrived in Canada after she was forced to leave her home country of Syria. Ms. Z has been unable to secure permanent housing and is also unable to find employment since arriving in Canada. Ms. Z discloses that she is feeling irritable, has difficulty sleeping and feels hopeless about the future. She reports feeling startled by minor sounds and that some days her heart feels like it will “beat out of her chest”. Ms. Z says that she has not spoken to anyone about how she is feeling because she is worried that they will think she is “weak” or “crazy”.

Question 1: How can healthcare providers build trust with Ms. Z and other immigrants that are experiencing emotional distress or psychological effects of trauma?

Prior negative experiences with healthcare or aid workers can challenge an individual’s confidence and trust in their current healthcare professionals. Limited prior experiences with mental health professionals can increase their hesitancy to discuss feelings of psychological ill-being.  Building trust with patients experiencing psychological distress is very important for successful therapeutic relationships.

To improve trust and communication between patients in distress and their healthcare team the following points should be considered:

Question 2: Describe the psychological consequences of migration and trauma that Ms. Z could be experiencing?

During migration, Ms. Z lost many of her social supports and networks. This could lead to feelings of isolation and shame. Ms. Z experienced numerous stressors including the loss of loved ones, employment, social capital and parts of her self-identity. These losses contribute to the migratory grieving process and may increase an individual’s vulnerability by eliminating many health protective factors.

Family losses coupled with the psychological consequences of facing violence, abuse and conflict can often contribute to forced immigrants experiencing depression, anxiety and/or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Health providers must be aware that each individual’s migration journey and how they respond to trauma is personal. Not all migrants will develop clinically diagnosable moods disorders or PTSD, but instead may experience intermittent associated symptoms that require monitoring and care.

Question 3: How can Ms. Z’s mental health be supported? What is trauma informed care?

Principles of Trauma-Informed Care³…

(Purkey et al., CFP 2018)