Hi JesiJay,

I would use "sordo", because I feel this is the most accurate term. Patients can always clarify with the doctor/the doctor can clarify with them if what they've written doesn't make sense.

Here's an excellent article about TRANSLATION IN THE HEALTH SERVICES SYSTEM. http://www.intrades.org/translation/articles/art.vol11no1.he...

Target audience
“The other issue in terms of the various skills required of the competent translator is familiarity with the target audience, and that is again something that doesn’t happen with people who have not been trained in translation and it also doesn’t happen with people who are not aware of where the translation is going or who are not familiar with the population to whom it is directed. I think that two things are important here: One is to beware of stereotyping.”

“I remember once, when I was giving a presentation at a hospital. I was speaking of the importance of professional translation so that the patient can understand what he is reading. Finally, one of the doctors said : ‘Well, María, it doesn’t really matter who we have doing the translation . Most of our Hispanic patients don’t have much education. They wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a good translation and a bad translation.’” “Trying to contain my anger, I said: Doctor, I’m sure you have English-speaking patients who say to you: ‘well, I don’t have to call you if I ain’t got no symptoms, right?’ You are not going to write that in a consent form.”

“First of all, the patient knows you don’t speak that way so the first thing he’s going to say is: ’He is talking down to me’ and secondly, it doesn’t matter whether the person has a lot of education or a little. We are lucky because we are highly educated, but not everybody is. And anyway, people really have the right to speak whichever way they wish.”

“That is no excuse for poor grammar or syntax, etc., because that is simply disrespectful, and I think that is what happens when people ask someone who is unqualified to do a translation (‘you know this is going mostly to Hispanics who don’t have much education, so it doesn’t really matter…’). Well, that is a sign of disrespect. People are human beings. People deserve respect and to have correct information -- especially in the medical field where somebody’s life may be at stake.”

Culture and educational level of target audience
“The other problem is the culture and educational level of your target audience, because there are several different registers that you can use. Depending on who your audience is, you can vary the vocabulary or the syntax.”

I hope this helps -

Good luck!


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Note added at 1 hr (2006-01-27 03:53:15 GMT)
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dull pain: dolor sordo

Diccionario crítico de dudas inglés-español de medicina, de Navarro