Interaction and conversational constrictions in the relationships between suppliers of services and immigrant users

Abstract

This article deals with aspects of interaction between doctors and immigrant users whose native language is not Spanish (immigrant non-native speakers of Spanish: INNSS) in healthcare centers in Spain. The methodological focus is based on institutional conversation analysis following Drew and Heritage’s studies (Drew & Heritage 1992; Heritage 1997; Drew and Sarjonen 1997), and ethnographic research (Cicourel 1992). It is my intention to examine the characteristics and peculiarities -if any- of doctor-patient interaction when the participants are immigrants and non-native speakers of Spanish who are not fluent in the language of interaction, in this case Spanish. The study is based on quantitative and qualitative data which come from surveys and recordings carried out in healthcare centers in northern Madrid, Spain, during 2000 - 2001.