Patient information materials and languages of immigration: online availability and corpus for translators and interpreters

Abstract

In this study we aim to determine the topics and languages of information materials for foreign patients in Spain that are currently available in open access as well as to compile good practices in this regard. In addition, we aim to develop a multilingual corpus of health information texts useful for translators and interpreters in public services. The results show a general inclusive trend and there are several examples of good practices regarding the variety of health topics approached and languages in which the translated materials are available online. They also show the important work done especially by associations and system works and especially on the patients’ rights and obligations. Moreover, the inclusion of more topics would also be helpful. Furthermore, the level of representation of the different languages is still unequal within the same autonomous community and between the different autonomous communities. The same applies regarding the topics approached and the number of translated texts that should be available. Our article proposes a basic work plan, a list of materials to be translated in the Madrid region, and a corpus of texts that can be manipulated for thematic research and to generate terminological materials for translators and interpreters.