Revista Habanera de Ciencias Médicas (Feb 2021)
The importance of the affective and intercultural perspective of communication in times of crisis
Abstract
Introduction: The communication among professionals and those related to healthcare with the population is vital, especially during sanitary and epidemiological crises, aimed to develop effectively health promotion and prevention activities and help to increase the people´s risk perception. Objective: To explain the importance of the affective and intercultural perspective of the health professionals’ communication when facing epidemiological contingency or hazard situations. Materials and methods: Literature review about the topic and other qualitative procedures such as life stories and the authors´ introspective reflection. Development: Basic concepts related to communication in the health field were explored as stated in the World Health Organization documents and the scientific literature about the topic. Besides, the authors explored the affective and intercultural communication issue, either in the mother tongue and in a foreign language which highly praise the accompaniment of the human being in the information process during health crises to lead them to behave effectively to achieve the goals of the clinical activity and the health promotion and prevention measures in the country or overseas. Conclusions: The evidence for the need of affective communication is shown. This kind of communication must be true and clear, showing principles such as solidarity, and traits of optimism and faith in the recovery and there should also be some intercultural awareness to favor the understanding of uncommon attitudes and practices for a better professional performance when working overseas.
