A Needs Analysis of Arabic Communication Model for Public Relations Officers in the Healthcare Industry

Arabic communication possesses distinct characteristics that set it apart from other cultures. Understanding the specific aspects of Arabic communication is crucial, particularly for public relations officers who interact with Arab patients in healthcare settings. The increasing language and communication barriers between healthcare providers and Arab patients necessitate the involvement of public relations officers as mediators, interpreters, or facilitators. However, non-native Arabic speakers among public relations officers until now face misconception and confusion of task, lack of knowledge on Arabic communication and Arabic culture during their daily work at the healthcare centers. Therefore, this study aims to identify the challenges faced by public relation officers in healthcare centers when attending to Arab patients and to analyze the needs of these officers toward the development of a comprehensive Arabic communication model for public relations in the healthcareindustry. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five public relation officers from different healthcare centers in Kuala Lumpur. The collected data was analyzed using NVivo data analysis software version 12. This qualitative research incorporatesHutchinson and Waters' (1987) theory of needs analysis, focusing on three key components: necessities, lacks, and wants. The findings reveal that public relations officers encounter difficulties due to the lack of references or guidelines on Arabic communication, an uncooperative working environment, language barriers in translating medical terminology, and the use of uncommon Arabic dialects. The study also highlights the PR officers' pressing needs, which include the implementation of an Arabic communication model as a guiding framework for communication with Arab patients, as well as the enhancement of their communication skills and Arabic language proficiency to ensure high-quality service provision to Arab patients in healthcare centers