‘Shift’ ‘n ‘control’: The computer as a third interactant in Spanish-language medical consultations

Area of Science:

• Medical Communication
• Sociolinguistics
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Previous studies indicate computers can detract from provider-patient communication.
• The use of technology in healthcare settings requires further examination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the computer's role in English-Spanish bilingual medical consultations.
• To understand how computer use affects the co-construction of patient health narratives.

Main Methods:

• Conversation analysis of 36 Spanish-language medical consultations.
• Focus on health narratives and provider-patient interaction dynamics.

Main Results:

• Computers act as a third interactant, leading providers to use lower volume, minimal responses, and code-switch to English.
• Code-switching and computer use diminish patient control over their health narrative.
• Patients' lack of access to computational tasks and English language exacerbates negative effects.

Conclusions:

• Computer use in Spanish-language consultations can adversely affect provider-patient communication.
• Code-switching driven by computer use disadvantages monolingual Spanish-speaking patients.
• Interventions are needed to mitigate the negative impact of technology on health equity.