ABSTRACT
<B>Introduction</B><BR>The questionnaire survey was conducted among medical interpreters to clarify the duties of medical interpreters and the contents of training programs, and to analyze the challenges in practice.<BR><B>Methods</B><BR>The self-reported questionnaires were distributed to NPOs of medical interpreters, local international exchange associations, and hospitals with medical interpreters. They were directly collected to authors and analyzed.<BR><B>Results</B><BR>The number of valid responses was 284 (response rate: 33.4%). 46.1% of the respondents had worked as medical interpreters for 5 years or more. There were a few fulltime workers and 76.4% worked as a part-time interpreters. The respondents could interpret 14 languages including sign language. Only 8.5% of them had worked more than 20 times per month, while 68.3% worked less than 4 times per month. 54.4% of the respondents have had training of medical interpreting for more than 20 hours. The respondents answered their difficulties as medical interpreters between medical providers and foreign patients.<BR><B>Discussions</B><BR>This study was targeted at medical interpreters and revealed that many medical interpreters were working at hospitals and other health facilities. The training programs to develop knowledge, skills and ethical conduct are urgently needed to establish the professionalism of medical interpreters. The coordinators are essential to advocate the roles of medical interpreters to medical providers and foreign patients, and to support medical interpreters.
ABSTRACT
This case study involved a 30-year-old G3P2 patient. In the previous two pregnancies, she experienced toxemia of pregnancy with intrauterine growth retardation. Autoantibodies were found to be positive in these two pregnancies. In her third pregnancy, Shakuyakukanzou-tou with low doses of aspirin were administered. Her autoantibody continued to be negative. Toxemia was not noted and fetus growth was adequate for her date. This data suggests that Shakuyaku-kanzou-tou may be effective for autoimmune pregnant disorders involving intrauterine growth retardation.
ABSTRACT
Sixty-five patients who complained of various unidentified symptoms (undefined clinical syndrome), including 59 with climacteric syndrome, received Kampo medicine for eight weeks or more according to scores for their body constitution. Saiko-keishi-kankyo-to was given to those with a deficient constitution, Saiko-karyukotsu-borei-to to those with a robust constitution, and Kami-shoyo-san to those with a medium constitution.<br>A deficient constitution was more common among those aged 40 to 49, while those with a robust constitution increased in patients aged 50 to 59. The pretreatment climacteric index was comparable among the three groups, and most of them were mild to moderate. The faces of those with a robust constitution had more gloss and a tenser texture while those with deficient constitution were paler and had a face with less of a tense texture. Other signs such as a repeated epigastric splashing sound, hypochondriac resistance, dark rings around the eyes, dark purple tongue, and paraumbilical resistance were similar between those with robust and deficient constitutions. These signs were mild and observed in about 90% of patients. They therefore appear to be common signs among patients suffering from undefined clinical syndrome.<br>The severity of conditions determined by the mean value of the climacteric index was moderate among those with robust to medium constitutions and mild among those with deficient constitutions. The index was reduced to the normal values within two weeks of starting Kampo medicine in those with a deficient constitution, within six weeks in those with a medium constitution, and within eight weeks in those with a robust constitution. The mean values of clinical laboratory test results and hormone levels remained unchanged during treatment (eight weeks).<br>The overall improvement rating (“markedly improved” plus “improved”) was high (80%) in those with a deficient constitution, and slightly above 60% in those with a medium and a robust constitution. Safety was very high in all Kampo medicine used. The clinical value (“very useful” plus “useful”) was highest with Saiko-keishi-kankyoto given to those with a deficient constitution, followed by Kami-shoyo-san given to those with a medium constitution and Saiko-ka-ryukotsu-borei-to given to those with a robust constitution in that order.