Zdravstvena pismenost u Bosni i Hercegovini kroz interdisciplinarnost
Health Literacy in Bosnia-Herzegovina Through Interdisciplinary Research

Summary/Abstract: The aim of the research is to identify characteristic communication forms of health behavior of the Bosnian patients and their impact on interaction with physicians. Discourse research is an interdisciplinary research field in which practices and structures of spoken language are explored, integrating linguistics, psychology, sociology, rhetoric and ethnography. My research draws on interactional data consisting of 22 audio taped authentic conversations between the Bosnian doctors and patients. The data was examined and compared by using a qualitative CA method. In medical encounters, doctors display their expert knowledge and their legitimate right to apply it, but they also orient to the lay expertise of patients regarding the symptoms and experiences of their illness (Brünner 2005). The results of the analysis show negative forms of patients’ health behavior, i.e. a low level of health literacy. Some examples are the following: not knowing the names of the prescribed medication or information regarding previous examinations and surgeries or a non-adherence to therapy. Based on the results, we conclude that a low level of health literacy increases asymmetry of the doctorpatient-relationship. Furthermore, it leads to interactional misunderstanding, dysfunctional sharing of knowledge and information, and even to face threatening actions such as criticisms and disciplining of the patient. These may serve as guidelines in developing national interdisciplinary projects towards determining and improving the level of health literacy of the Bosnian patients and improving the quality of doctor-patient-relationship.

• Details
• Contents