11. Cross-Cultural Communication in Refugee Health

In the increasingly diverse landscape of modern healthcare, effective communication is paramount. Persons with refugee experience often face unique health needs that necessitate skilled and complex interventions. At the same time, they share the cross-cultural communication needs that are typically characteristic of migrant health. Looking at communication in refugee health, this chapter reflects the paradoxical situation in which persons with refugee experience in the healthcare system are at once comparable to other patients and uniquely distinct. The first section looks at the role of communication in fostering a more equitable health system based on the concepts of inclusive communication and inclusive multilingualism. Counselling from a systems theory perspective is introduced as an analytical framework to be utilised in the context of refugee health and practical approaches to enhance cross-cultural communication are presented. This chapter emphasizes the importance of creating structures and services that are sensitive and responsive to cultural and linguistic diversity, explores cross-cultural communication strategies at the interpersonal level, and provides information on working with interpreters and cultural mediators. The final section of the chapter highlights the significance of interprofessional collaboration in cross-cultural communication within the context of refugee health.