Russian-American health care: bridging the communication gap between physicians and patients.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this article are two-fold: (1) to gather in one place reliable information about Russian-Americans' past medical practices and their current outlook on health care and to provide health care professionals with an overview of the major afflictions suffered by this ethnic group; and (2) to educate Russian-speaking patients about the American heath care system and social services geared towards immigrants by locating and evaluating free, culturally appropriate patient education Web sites available in Russian.

METHODS

In order to draw data on specific diseases and conditions affecting the Russian-speaking population, the author searched various scholarly health-related electronic databases. A number of well-established U.S. government consumer-health Web sites were searched to locate patient education resources that can be utilized by recent Russian immigrants.

RESULTS

The author provides an overview of the major health problems encountered by the Russian-speaking population before emigration and potential health concerns for Russian immigrant communities. In addition, the author provides a scholarly exploration of patient education materials available in Russian.

CONCLUSION

In this increasingly diverse society, physicians are faced with the challenge of providing culturally sensitive health care. Multicultural Web-based health resources can serve as a valuable tool for reducing communication barriers between patients and health care providers, thus improving the delivery of quality health care services. Recommendations for further research are indicated.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The author offers recommendations for practitioners serving Russian-speaking immigrants. Suggestions on utilization of Web resources are also provided.