Privacy is one of the key principals in nursing ethics. It is culturally dependent, and everyone defines it based on their own culture. Respect for privacy is considered to be important in health care, which requires health care professionals’ understanding of privacy in different cultures. The aim of this study was to describe the content, importance and realisation of privacy for Somali asylum seekers and refugees, and the factors related to the use of interpreters in Finnish health care, and to identify the factors related to the use of interpreters in health research. 

The study was conducted in four sub-studies. The data were collected by 1. focus group interviews from Somali asylum seekers (n=18), 2. by a questionnaire from Somali refugees (n=29), 3, by interviewing nurses (n=8). In the fourth sub-study a literature review was conducted. Data were analysed by content analysis. 

According to the results, the content of privacy can be divided into visual, physical and informational privacy. The importance of privacy is related to respect of religion, culture and community, feeling of freedom. It is a way for individuals to have the respect of their family and community. The loss of privacy is related to feelings of shame, which is also targeted at the family and community. The realisation of privacy is related to the patient, health care professional and interpreters. Privacy is realised when the patient can make his/her own decisions, is able to act according to Somali culture, gets the appointment with health care quickly and understands his/her treatment. Personal and professional factors of the healthcare professional, such as kindness, ability to focus on health and knowledge about Somali culture, were related to the realisation of privacy. The presence of interpreter weakened the realisation of privacy; however, the personal and professional characteristics of the interpreter improved the realisation. The factors related to the use of interpreters in health care were related to the patient, health care and interpreter. The factors related to the patient included patients’ perceptions and desires concerning the interpreter. Factors related to health care included planning and realisation of the appointment. The factors related to the interpreter included the knowledge, role and personal characteristics of the interpreter. Factors related to the use of interpreters in health research were related into planning and conducting research. 

As a conclusion, in Somali culture, privacy is strongly connected with religion and the community and it is a collective phenomenon. The realisation of privacy in health care requires a common understanding of the Somali culture and the treatment. The use of interpreter in health care requires careful planning and realisation.