Are audio recordings the answer? : a pilot study of a communication intervention for non-English speaking patients with cancer

To be involved in decision-making and provide consent to treatment, patients must recall information communicated by their oncologist. Communicating medical information is challenging, particularly when language barriers exist. Non-English speaking migrant patients with cancer report difficulties in communicating with the medical team and navigating the healthcare system; communication and recall aids are therefore especially important for these patients. Effective interventions exist to improve health literacy, information recall and understanding amongst English-speaking patients. Audio-recording medical consultations increases patients' recall and understanding, as does provision of cancer information sheets. Question prompt lists (QPLs) increase patient question-asking, and doctors provide more information when asked questions. These interventions have not previously been tested in a migrant cohort. Our Phase I study combined these interventions for Arabic, Cantonese, Greek and Mandarin-speaking migrant patients with cancer to improve patient question-asking, understanding and information recall of consultations. This pilot study aimed to develop this intervention, assess its cultural acceptability and determine implementation feasibility prior to a multi-site Phase II study.