Navigating Intercultural Medical Encounters: An Examination of Patient-Centered Communication Practices with Italian and Foreign Cancer Patients Living in Italy

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Good communication is key in cancer care, especially when doctors and patients come from different cultures or speak different languages. We studied 42 videos of doctors talking to Italian and foreign cancer patients during their visits. We looked at how they talked to each other, whether they misunderstood anything, whether there were interruptions, and how much trust and emotion were shown. The type of appointment and the doctor’s personal style mattered more than whether the patient was Italian or foreign. This tells us that even when foreign patients can speak the language well, doctors cannot only rely on this to communicate effectively. Doctors should pay attention to interruptions and focus on taking care of the patient as a whole person. The methods we used in this study could help doctors improve their communication skills, which will lead to better care for all patients. ABSTRACT: Effective communication is crucial in cancer care due to the sensitive nature of the information and the psychosocial impact on patients and their families. Patient-centered communication (PCC) is the gold standard for providing quality cancer care, as it improves patient satisfaction, treatment adherence, clinical outcomes, and overall quality of life. However, doctor–patient communication can be complicated by ethnic, linguistic, and cultural differences. This study employed the ONCode coding system to investigate PCC practices in oncological visits (doctor’s communicative behavior, patient’s initiatives, misalignments, interruptions, accountability, and expressions of trust in participants’ talk, Markers of uncertainty in doctor’s talk, markers of emotions in doctor’s talk). Forty-two video-recorded patient–oncologist encounters (with 22 Italian and 20 foreign patients), including both first and follow-up visits, were analyzed. Three discriminant analyses were conducted to assess differences in PCC between patient groups (Italian or foreign patients) according to the type of encounter (first visit or follow-up) and the presence or absence of companions during the encounters. Multiple regression analyses were performed to evaluate the PCC differences by oncologist age, patient age, and patient sex, controlling for the type of encounter, the presence of a companion during the visit, and patient group on ONCode dimensions. No differences were found in PCC by patient group in discriminant analyses and regressions. Doctor communication behavior, interruptions, accountability, and expressions of trust were higher in first visits than in follow-ups. The disparities in PCC were primarily linked to the type of visit and the age of the oncologist. However, a qualitative analysis showed notable differences in the types of interruptions during visits with foreign patients compared to Italian patients. It is essential to minimize interruptions during intercultural encounters to foster a more respectful and conducive environment for patients. Furthermore, even when foreign patients demonstrate sufficient linguistic competence, healthcare providers should not solely rely on this factor to ensure effective communication and quality care.