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Macao Report: Informed Consent in a Multilingual and Multicultural Region, a Bioethical Challenge

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 May 2018

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Abstract:

Complying with the requirements of informed consent for medical procedures can sometimes be problematic, even when the hospitals are located in countries that are uniform in their language and cultural values. However, when hospitals are located in countries with diverse linguistic and ethnic communities, it becomes particularly challenging. This article examines how Macao, with four predominant languages—Mandarin, Portuguese, Cantonese and English—and two very strong cultures, Western and Chinese, strives to meet the challenges of informed consent. The situation is made even more complicated by a healthcare delivery in Macao that is mostly guided by Chinese ethical and cultural perspectives, whereas its law is inspired by the Western model.

Keywords

Macaocultural diversitylanguagedoctor–patient relationshipinformed consent
Type
Special Section: Bioethics Beyond Borders
Information
Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics , Volume 27 , Issue 3 , July 2018 , pp. 385 - 396
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2018 

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References

Notes

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