Abstract
The phenomenon of migration makes our societies more plural and diverse. However, it can also be a potential source of inequalities, namely in the field of health communication. Cultural and language barriers, amongst others, can lead to difficulties in access to health information, resulting in disparities between migrant and native populations. In this context, it is legitimate to question whether translational activities can play a key role in the inclusion of migrant people. The aim of this work is to retrieve and analyze the existing literature on this topic so as to discuss the role of translational activities, namely transcreation, in the adaptation of healthcare materials as well as to analyze the adaptational processes that can be implemented in translational activities for the inclusion of migrant people.
TopIntroduction
The phenomenon of migration makes our societies more diverse and plural. However, this diversity does not necessarily place all individuals on an equal footing. On the contrary, migrant people find many difficulties and challenges when arriving in their countries of destination (Valero & Salvador, 2007). They have to face many barriers when they want to access the healthcare system in a new country, namely, language, cultural differences, administrative issues such as being in an irregular administrative situation, low level of education and health literacy in some cases, bureaucracy and socioeconomic problems (Serre-Delcor, 2021), leading to health disparities. Moreover, it is widely believed that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these inequalities (Knights et al., 2021). These factors can dissuade them from accessing healthcare services when needed, and the role of translation services becomes paramount for the quality of care and the inclusion of these populations (Gil-Salmerón et al., 2021). Access to healthcare information is essential to provide people with the necessary tools to learn to navigate the healthcare system (Serre-Delcor, 2021) and has the potential to reduce health disparities as they can improve patients’ knowledge (Rivera et al., 2016). Thus, language and culture should not be an obstacle or vulnerability factor when it comes to protecting people’s health and that of those around them (Aranda, 2020).
Translators can bridge the gap between cultures, promoting understanding between the people involved and their values (Valero & Salvador, 2007), therefore reducing inequalities. However, merely translating materials from one language to another without tailoring and adaptation can be insufficient to improve patients’ knowledge (Gonçalves et al., 2019). When original content cannot be specifically created for the targeted population, the application of translational strategies (namely, transcreation and localization, which will be described in the following section) can be an appropriate solution. When appropriate translational strategies are implemented, the translated product or intervention resonates with the targeted community and is sensitive to its cultural and context-specific characteristics (Nápoles & Stewart, 2018). Transcreation in the health sector does not only involve the translation of the text of written materials into another language, but also the adaptation of culturally relevant context, photos, and themes (Simmons et al., 2011b).
Yet, today, there seems to be a scarcity of healthcare materials available in different languages for migrant populations (Simmons et al, 2011; Lázaro-Gutiérrez, 2016), be they leaflets, videos, booklets, apps… In this context, the role of translational activities is essential to make sure that migrant people who do not speak the language of their country of destination are not relegated to situations of misinformation and, therefore, of vulnerability (Aranda, 2020).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Migrant: An umbrella term, not defined under international law, reflecting the common lay understanding of a person who moves away from his or her place of usual residence, whether within a country or across an international border, temporarily or permanently, and for a variety of reasons. The term includes a number of well-defined legal categories of people, such as migrant workers; persons whose particular types of movements are legally defined, such as smuggled migrants; as well as those whose status or means of movement are not specifically defined under international law, such as international students ( IOM, 2019 ).
Transcreation: A translation-related activity, associated with communication, that culturally adapts texts to reach populations other than the original audience, that is present in industries that require a high degree of creativity and that can contribute to internationalization processes of companies (Macario & Boyte, 2008 AU209: The in-text citation "Macario & Boyte, 2008" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. ).
Localization: The process of adapting a product so that it becomes appropriate for a specific local market, known as locale (a specific language combination and country/region) ( LISA, 2003 ).
Health Literacy: The degree to which people can obtain, process and understand health information and services that they need to make appropriate decisions (Macario & Boyte, 2008 AU208: The in-text citation "Macario & Boyte, 2008" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. ).