Sarah Ahrens

Photo by Sarah Ahrens, PhD scholarship holder in the Chronic Diseases and Health Literacy (ChEG) program

Portrait

Sarah Ahrens studied the Bachelor's degree program in Translation at Leipzig University from 2014-2017. During this time, she began volunteering in language mediation. From 2017-2019, she studied for a Master's degree in Media Text and Media Translation at the University of Hildesheim Foundation with a focus on easy language. She is a member of the Easy Language Research Centre and part of the doctoral group "Barrier-free medical communication" (BK-Med) led by Prof. Dr. Christiane Maaß and Dr. Isabel Rink.

Topic of the doctorate

Patient information at the gynecologist - What characteristics do plain language texts need to have in order to be understandable for women with German as a second language and to guide them in their actions?

Background

People with German as a second language have disadvantages in many respects in the German healthcare system compared to people with German as their first language. There are language barriers (cf. Rink 2020) that cannot be adequately overcome by translation and interpreting (see e.g. Ullrich et al. 2016). There is a cultural barrier due to unfamiliarity with the German healthcare system (cf. Rink 2020). Simple language texts are reduced in complexity and enriched with additional information. In this way, the language barrier can be lowered and the cultural barrier counteracted with information.

Aim

The planned project researches how texts from the field of health communication must be designed in simple language in order to be understandable and action-guiding for women with German as a second language.

Method

Sarah Ahrens examines a standard language patient information text and its translation into plain language. Women with German as a second language and a comparison group of women with German as their mother tongue read one of the texts. Later, they answer questions in an individual or focus group interview. Their answers indicate whether the text in question is understandable and actionable (applicable).

The plain language text is adapted and retested based on the results from the focus groups. The focus in this second round is: Is the text more understandable and actionable with the changes?

Publications

Ahrens, Sarah (2023): "Adaptation of Easy Language Rules to the Needs of Readers with German as L2 (Abstract)." In: Hartmann, Stefan, Willich, Alexander, Ziem, Alexander (eds.): 16th International Cognitive Linguistics Conference. Book of Abstracts. URL: https: //iclc16.github.io/abstracts/ICLC16_BoA.pdf

Ahrens, Sarah (2023): "Simple foreign words and complex explanations: On lexis in health texts in standard language and simple language for target groups with German as a second language." In: Panace@ 24(57), 68-75. open access.

Ahrens, Sarah & Fioravanti, Chiara (2022): "Cultural implications in Easy Language texts for migrants Theoretical considerations and insights from practice in Germany and in Italy: Theoretical considerations and insights from practice in Germany and in Italy." trans-kom 15(2), 270-292. open access

Ahrens, Sarah (2022): "Easy Language translations for second language learners - Worthwhile concept or didactic mistake?" In: Castillo Bernal, María P. / Estévez Grossi, Marta (eds.): Translation, Mediation and Accessibility for Linguistic Minorities. Berlin: Frank & Timme, 175-189.

Ahrens, Sarah; Schulz, Rebecca; Kröger, Janina; Hernández Garrido, Sergio; Keller, Loraine & Rink, Isabel (eds.) (2022): Accessibility - Health Literacy - Health Information: Interdisciplinary Approaches to an Emerging Field of Communication. Berlin: Frank & Timme.

Kröger, Janina & Ahrens, Sarah (2022): "An interdisciplinary approach to translation-oriented text analysis in intralingual translation research: Research report." In: Ahrens, Sarah; Schulz, Rebecca; Kröger, Janina; Hernández Garrido, Sergio; Keller, Loraine & Rink, Isabel (eds.): Accessibility - Health Literacy - Health Information: Interdisciplinary Approaches to an Emerging Field of Communication. Berlin: Frank & Timme, 113-138.

Posselt J, Ahrens S, Oppermann L, Naef AN (2022): Interdisciplinary health literacy research. the perspective of early career researchers. Findings from the ChEG Summer School. In: Qualitas 22(4), pp. 34-36.

Maaß, Christiane; Rink, Isabel & Ahrens, Sarah (2022): "An Academic Approach to an Emerging Field of Socio-Political Action: The Master's Program 'Accessible Communication' (University of Hildesheim)." In: Nechaeva, Natalia V. (ed.): ДЕНЬ ЯСНОГО ЯЗЫКА: Сборник материалов Первого международного форума (г. Москва, May 28, 2021). Kazan: Buk, 27-36.

Ahrens, Sarah, Hernández Garrido, Sergio, Keller, Loraine, Kröger, Janina, Rink, Isabel & Schulz, Rebecca (2021): "Medical communication in Easy and Plain Language: On understanding, retaining and accepting specialized medical communication in comprehensibility-enhanced formats." In: Jekat, Susanne J., Steffen Puhl, Luisa Carrer, and Alexa Lintner, eds. 2021. Proceedings of the 3rd Swiss Conference on Barrier-free Communication (BfC 2020). Winterthur (online) , June 29 - July 4, 2020. Winterthur: ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, 29 - 37. DOI: 10.21256/zhaw-3001

Ahrens, Sarah (2020): "Easy Language and Administrative Texts: Second Language Learners as a Target Group". In: Maaß, Christiane/ Hansen-Schirra, Silvia (ed.): Easy Language Research: Text and User Perspectives, Berlin: Frank & Timme, 67-97.

Lectures

Ahrens, Sarah (2023): Adaptation of Easy Language Rules to the Needs of Readers with German as L2. 16th International Cognitive Linguistics Conference, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, 07.-11.08.2023.

Ahrens S (2023). Deriving understanding and application from guided interviews. Healthcare 2023; 85(08/09): 798 - 799. doi:10.1055/s-0043-1770561

Ahrens S (2022, August): Patient education for tissue removal in simple language: comprehensibility for women with German as a second language (DaZ). Poster presentation at the Summer School Chronic Diseases and Interdisciplinary Health Literacy Research, Hanover, 01.08.2022.

Ahrens S, Posselt J (2022, August): Health literacy promotion of vulnerable groups. Workshop as part of the summer school on chronic diseases and interdisciplinary health literacy research, Hanover, 01.08.2022.

Ahrens S (2022, August): Interculturally understandable external Communications. Workshop as part of the Summer School Chronic Diseases and Interdisciplinary Health Literacy Research, Hanover, 01.08.2022.

Michele J, Ahrens S, Keller L, Posselt J (2022): Target group-oriented health literacy promotion among vulnerable groups - a discussion forum. Congress on Poverty and Health 2022, online, 24.03.2022.

Maaß, Christiane, Ahrens, Sarah (2021): Training for Easy Language Translators and Interpreters at the University of Hildesheim: Specifics and Outcomes of the Master Program "Accessible Communication", online, Association of Translation Teachers (Russia), "International Easy Language Day Forum", Moscow State University of International Relations (Odintsovo Campus), May 28, 2021.

Ahrens, Sarah (2020): Research Centre for Easy-to-Read German and the MA program "Accessible Communication", online, Association of Translation Teachers (Russia), "Roundtable: Plain and Easy Language: Worldwide Experience and Prospects in Russia", October 13, 2020.

Ahrens, Sarah (2020): Easy Language translations for Second Language Learners - Worthwhile Concept or Didactic Mistake?, online, "2nd International e-Conference on Translation", Universidad de Córdoba/Leibniz Universität Hannover, September -24 September 25, 2020.

Research Group Accessible Medical Communication (BK-Med): Medical Communication in Easy and Plain Language. On understanding, retaining and accepting specialized medical communication in comprehensibility enhanced formats, online, "3rd Swiss Conference on Barrier-free Communication (BfC 2020)", ZHAW School of Applied Linguistics, June 29 - July 4, 2020.