The role of cultural nuances in patient-facing materials for medtech products 

When you’re launching a wearable, medical app, or other MedTech innovation in multiple countries, translation alone isn’t enough. Even if every word is technically accurate, cultural nuances can make the difference between a patient who feels understood and one who disengages. 

If you overlook these details, it can cause confusion, mistakes, or harm your reputation. Paying attention to them can build patient trust, improve follow-through, and increase satisfaction. Here’s why it’s important and how to do it right from the beginning. 

Why cultural nuance matters 

Patient-facing materials aren’t just “content”, they are part of the treatment experience. The words, images, and examples you choose tell patients whether your device is truly made for them. 

When cultural context is missing, you risk giving advice that feels unrealistic, insensitive, or irrelevant. 

Real-world examples of cultural gaps 

1. Climate and geography 
A fitness tracker recommends walking 10,000 steps per month outdoors, fine in sunny southern Europe, but unrealistic in northern regions where winter temperatures drop below -20°C. Without an alternative indoor option, patients may simply give up. 

2. Food availability and traditions 
A nutrition app encourages eating fresh blueberries daily for heart health. In some countries, they’re out-of-season most of the year, hard to find, or prohibitively expensive, instantly lowering compliance rates. 

3. Generational preferences 
Younger patients might appreciate casual “Hey!” greetings and emoji-filled notifications. Older patients may expect a respectful, formal tone for medical advice, and may feel alienated if communication feels too informal. 

4. Symbolism and imagery 
A heart icon in a mobile app might suggest “love” in some cultures, but in others it could feel overly personal or inappropriate for a healthcare setting. Even colors can carry different meanings, white for purity in some countries, mourning in others. 

5. Daily habits and time conventions 
Advising “a brisk walk after dinner” works in cultures where dinner is the main evening meal. In countries where the largest meal is at midday, this timing can confuse users or make the advice irrelevant. 

How to adapt patient-facing materials for local engagement 

1. Understand your target audience before translating 

Before the first word is translated, ensure your translation partner has a clear picture of your target users: 

• Where they live 

• How they eat and exercise 

• Their age group and technology habits 

• Any cultural or religious restrictions that may affect usage 

At Novalins, we start with a pre-project preparation phase, often including a product demo, review of reference materials, and discussion of your preferred glossaries and term bases. This ensures we know not just the language, but the context. 

2. Use in-country experts 

In-country linguists understand how your audience speaks, but also how they live. They can flag when examples don’t fit local reality, when symbols have unintended meanings, or when a tone of voice feels “off.” 

3. Integrate cultural review into your workflow 

For apps and wearables, we recommend an in-app review after translation. Seeing text in context allows both linguists and client reviewers to check cultural fit, text expansion, and UI flow before launch. 

4. Align your translation tools with client systems 

We work with our own powerful TMS or integrate with your software to keep updates smooth, avoid duplication, and maintain consistent cultural adaptations over time. 

Risk prevention + value creation 

Cultural adaptation isn’t just about avoiding mistakes, it’s a competitive advantage: 

• Risk prevention: Avoid misunderstandings, compliance issues, and disengagement. 

• Value creation: Increase patient engagement, improve adherence to device-related recommendations, and strengthen trust in your brand. 

Final thoughts 

In MedTech, your app or wearable may be global, but your patients live in specific places, with specific habits, values, and constraints. 

At Novalins, we combine in-country experts, ISO-certified processes, and collaborative preparation with our clients to make sure patient-facing materials speak the right language, culturally as well as linguistically. 

If you’d like to explore how your materials can be adapted for local impact, contact us to learn more about our cultural review and in-app translation services for MedTech.