Table 6 |
|||
| Perceptions of 253 health professionals toward STMMs | |||
| Perception | South Pacific N = 153 | Central America N = 100 | P value |
| Expectation | |||
| Health care | 113 (73.9) | 80 (80.0) | 0.261 |
| Personal development | 123 (80.4) | 76 (76.0) | 0.405 |
| Enhance Taiwan’s diplomatic relationship | 109 (71.2) | 75 (75.0) | 0.512 |
| Training for local health providers | 69 (45.1) | 49 (49.0) | 0.543 |
| Belief | |||
| Language proficiency enhances efficiency | 129 (84.3) | 85 (85.0) | 0.883 |
| Cultural awareness enhances care quality | 139 (90.8) | 89 (89.0) | 0.630 |
| Education helps local health providers to improve clinical care | 137 (89.5) | 87 (87.0) | 0.602 |
| Subsequent follow-up improves care outcome | 142 (38.6) | 91 (91.0) | 0.535 |
| Requirement of interpreter service | 104 (68.0) | 97 (97.0) | <0.001 |
| Ability to speak the native language | <0.001 | ||
| None | 17 (11.1) | 50 (50.0) | |
| Basic | 56 (36.6) | 37 (37.0) | |
| Conversational | 59 (38.6) | 9 (9.0) | |
| Proficient | 13 (8.5) | 3 (3.0) | |
| Fluent | 8 (5.2) | 1 (1.0) | |
| Knowledge of local culture | 0.306 | ||
| None | 18 (11.8) | 14 (14.0) | |
| A little | 46 (30.1) | 38 (38.0) | |
| Average | 70 (45.7) | 42 (42.0) | |
| Know well | 18 (11.8) | 6 (6.0) | |
| Extremely familiar with | 1 (0.6) | 0 (0.0) | |
| Efficiency (%) | |||
| Orientation efforts were well organized | 99 (64.7) | 62 (62.0) | 0.662 |
| Intra-team communication was efficient | 121 (79.1) | 74 (74.0) | 0.347 |
| Time was spent efficiently | 122 (79.7) | 82 (82.0) | 0.656 |
| Health care services were satisfied | 129 (84.3) | 86 (86.0) | 0.714 |
| Necessary personnel were sufficient | 36 (23.5) | 25 (25.0) | 0.789 |
| Interpreter services were adequate | 150 (98.0) | 100 (100.0) | 0.159 |
| Education of local health providers was well organized | 80 (52.3) | 44 (44.0) | 0.197 |
Chiu et al. BMC International Health and Human Rights 2012 12:37 doi:10.1186/1472-698X-12-37
