BACKGROUND: Latinos are the fastest growing minority group in the United States with a significant percentage of this population having limited English proficiency. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether mode of interpretation influences satisfaction of limited English-proficient parents presenting to a tertiary care pediatric emergency department. DESIGN: One hundred eighty parents of patients presenting to a pediatric emergency department were surveyed after receiving services from one of the following interpreters: hospital-trained, ad hoc, or telephone. An English-proficient comparison group of 60 parents of any ethnicity was also surveyed (total N = 240). RESULTS: Parents were significantly more satisfied (P < 0.001) with hospital-trained interpreters. While no significant difference was found in overall visit satisfaction, there were significant differences in several other outcome variables. When hospital-trained interpreters were used, parents were significantly more satisfied (P < 0.001) with their physicians and nurses. With regard to the ability to communicate with pediatric emergency department personnel, parents using hospital-trained interpreters averaged significantly higher scores (P < 0.001) than the telephone group. Quality-of-care scores were significantly higher (P < 0.001) for parents assigned to hospital-trained interpreters than for the other forms of interpretation. English-proficient parents scored highest in the following categories: ability to communicate, quality of care, and overall visit satisfaction. Parents using hospital-trained interpreters scored higher than English-proficient parents when questioned about physician and nursing satisfaction. CONCLUSION: Hospital-trained interpreters are a valuable and needed resource to facilitate communication with limited English-proficient patients and families. Other interpretation services are useful but have limitations.
BACKGROUND: Latinos are the fastest growing minority group in the United States with a significant percentage of this population having limited English proficiency. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether mode of interpretation influences satisfaction of limited English-proficient parents presenting to a tertiary care pediatric emergency department. DESIGN: One hundred eighty parents of patients presenting to a pediatric emergency department were surveyed after receiving services from one of the following interpreters: hospital-trained, ad hoc, or telephone. An English-proficient comparison group of 60 parents of any ethnicity was also surveyed (total N = 240). RESULTS: Parents were significantly more satisfied (P < 0.001) with hospital-trained interpreters. While no significant difference was found in overall visit satisfaction, there were significant differences in several other outcome variables. When hospital-trained interpreters were used, parents were significantly more satisfied (P < 0.001) with their physicians and nurses. With regard to the ability to communicate with pediatric emergency department personnel, parents using hospital-trained interpreters averaged significantly higher scores (P < 0.001) than the telephone group. Quality-of-care scores were significantly higher (P < 0.001) for parents assigned to hospital-trained interpreters than for the other forms of interpretation. English-proficient parents scored highest in the following categories: ability to communicate, quality of care, and overall visit satisfaction. Parents using hospital-trained interpreters scored higher than English-proficient parents when questioned about physician and nursing satisfaction. CONCLUSION: Hospital-trained interpreters are a valuable and needed resource to facilitate communication with limited English-proficient patients and families. Other interpretation services are useful but have limitations.
Authors: Anna M Nápoles; Jasmine Santoyo-Olsson; Leah S Karliner; Helen O'Brien; Steven E Gregorich; Eliseo J Pérez-Stable Journal: J Health Care Poor Underserved Date: 2010-02
Authors: Lavinia Lin; Katherine B Brown; Brian J Hall; Fan Yu; Jingqi Yang; Jason Wang; Joshua M Schrock; Adams B Bodomo; Ligang Yang; Bin Yang; Eric J Nehl; Joseph D Tucker; Frank Y Wong Journal: Glob Public Health Date: 2015-09-23
Authors: Adrian D Zurca; Kiondra R Fisher; Remigio J Flor; Catalina D Gonzalez-Marques; Jichuan Wang; Yao I Cheng; Tessie W October Journal: Hosp Pediatr Date: 2016-12-15