Limited English Proficiency Patients Research Articles

A multi-language qualitative study of limited English proficiency patient experiences in the United States.

The purpose of this study was to understand the limited English proficiency patient experience with health care services in an urban setting in the United States. Through a narrative analysis approach, 71 individuals who spoke either Spanish, Russian, Cantonese, Mandarin, or Korean shared their experiences through semi-structured interviews between 2016 and 2018. Analyses used monolingual and multilingual open coding approaches to generate themes. Six themes illustrated patient experiences and identified sources of structural inequities perpetuating language barriers at the point of care. An important thread throughout all interviews was the sense that the language barrier with clinicians posed a threat to their safety when receiving healthcare, citing an acute awareness of additional risk for harm they might experience. Participants also consistently identified factors they felt would improve their sense of security that were specific to clinician interactions. Differences in experiences were specific to culture and heritage. The findings highlight the ongoing challenges spoken language barriers pose across multiple points of care in the United States' health care system. The multi-language nature of this study and its methodological insights are innovative as most studies have focused on clinicians or patient experiences in a single language.

Patient perceptions of the readability and helpfulness of bilingual clinical forms: a survey study

BackgroundPatients with limited English proficiency (LEP) are rarely provided with translated clinical materials. Typically, healthcare clinics cite high costs of translation and lack of professional translators as barriers to this service. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the perceptions of LEP dental patients regarding the readability, understanding, and helpfulness of translated clinical forms produced by dental student doctor translators.MethodsWe used a survey design and convenience sampling to recruit LEP patients from a dental school clinic. Participants completed a 9-question (8 Likert-type items and 1 open-ended item) paper survey about translated forms. The bilingual survey was a combination of English and 8 other languages (Arabic, Dari, Pashto, Russian, Spanish, Ukrainian, Urdu, or Vietnamese) and assessed the type of form received; self-reported literacy; design, readability, and helpfulness of the form; overall understanding of the form; understanding of medical and dental terms; helpfulness for patient-provider communication; and comfort level with dental care after receiving the form. Demographic characteristics of participants were collected from the clinic’s electronic health record. Survey responses were analyzed descriptively, and Spearman’s correlation was used to examine the relationship between outcomes.ResultsNinety-seven LEP patients (61.9% [60] female, 78.4% [70] Spanish speakers) completed 140 surveys for various translated forms in Dari, Pashto, Spanish, Urdu, or Vietnamese. Participants positively rated translated clinical forms: range, 50.4% (70) for design of the form to 80.0% (112) for comfort level with dental care after receiving the form. For the open-ended item, participants indicated the translations were good, and no improvements were needed. They also thought providing the form was evidence of good customer service. When examining relationships between outcomes, positive correlations were found between self-reported literacy and readability (Spearman r = .57, P < .001), overall understanding and understanding of medical and dental terms (Spearman r = .58, P < .001), and type of form and helpfulness for patient-provider communication (Spearman r = .26, P = .005).ConclusionsStudy results suggested the translated clinical forms were perceived as helpful and beneficial by LEP dental patients. Similar approaches should be considered to reduce language barriers in healthcare.

Evaluating and refining a pain quality information visualization tool with patients and interpreters to facilitate pain assessment in primary care settings

ABSTRACTInformation visualization (InfoViz) tools offer a potential solution to pain communication challenges. Incongruencies in communication styles between patients with limited English proficiency (LEP), interpreters, and providers contribute to significant disparities in pain care and outcomes. This study’s purpose is to evaluate and refine a culturally appropriate InfoViz pain quality assessment tool for LEP Hmong patients. We conducted a three-part iterative user-centered study with LEP Hmong, bilingual Hmong, and Hmong interpreters with (1) participatory design sessions to evaluate and refine pain infographics for inclusion on the tool, (2) card-sorting to organize the infographics to match the mental models of LEP patients, and (3) a tool assessment to identify which tool accurately represented LEP patients’ mental models and was preferred in clinical settings. Fifty-five participants provided three common themes for pain infographics refinement: culturally-relevant colors, infographics resembling human anatomy, and action-specific squiggle lines. The card-sorting sessions revealed three organizational themes: sensation (n = 15; 71.4%), localization (n = 6; 28.6%), and severity of pain quality (n = 5; 24.3%). Most participants selected the localization as the most accurate tool and preferred it in clinical settings. Using a multi-step, user-centered approach resulted in a culturally appropriate pain InfoViz tool for LEP Hmong patients.

Association of Patient English Proficiency and Diagnostic Imaging Acquisition in Emergency Department Patients with Abdominal Symptoms

BackgroundPatients with limited English proficiency (LEP) are at risk for communication barriers during medical care in the United States compared with English-proficient (EP) patients. It is unknown how EP affects the utilization of advanced diagnostic imaging (ADI) in the emergency department (ED). ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to compare the acquisition and findings of ADI in EP and LEP patients with abdominal symptoms. MethodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis of adult ED patients from January 2015 to January 2016. Patients were divided into EP and LEP cohorts. Logistic regression models incorporated language proficiency, interpretation method, and demographic characteristics. We determined crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for the acquisition of ADI, defined as either computed tomography or ultrasound, and the proportion with actionable findings. ResultsIn 3324 encounters (2134 EP; 1190 LEP), LEP patients were older (46.3 years vs. 43.8 years), more likely to be female (66.7% vs. 51.5%), and preferred Spanish (91.4%). ADI was obtained in 43.5% of EP and 48.1% of LEP. Adjusting for age, sex, and interpretation method, the OR was 1.09 (95% CI 0.90–1.32). There were no significant associations between interpretation type and acquisition of ADI. The proportion with actionable findings were similar in EP and LEP cohorts (29.6% vs. 26.7%). ConclusionsAccounting for demographic differences, ADI acquisition was similar for ED patients with and without LEP. Further research is needed to determine optimal interpretation modalities in this setting to prevent unnecessary imaging.

Comparison of cataract surgery outcomes in English proficient and limited English proficiency patients.

To determine differences in cataract surgery outcomes between English proficient (EP) and limited English proficiency (LEP) patients. Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center, Aurora, Colorado. Retrospective. Patients who underwent phacoemulsification at the Sue Anschutz-Rogers Eye Center between January 2014 and February 2020 were included. Patients who self-identified as needing or preferring an interpreter in medical encounters were defined as LEP. Differences in surgical characteristics and outcomes including cataract maturity, surgical complexity, and surgical complications were analyzed. 868 eyes (6.4%) were identified from LEP patients. LEP patients were more likely to have mature cataracts (5.1% vs 2.3%, P < .0001). LEP patients' surgeries were more likely to be considered complex (27.8% vs 15.3%, P < .0001) and use higher cumulative dissipated energy (mean of 9.5 [SD = 9.5] vs 7.2 [SD = 7.1], P < .0001). Preoperative visual acuity was worse in LEP patients (logMAR 0.566 [SD = 0.64] vs 0.366 [SD = 0.51], P < .0001) but showed greater improvement after surgery (logMAR 0.366 [SD = 0.54] vs 0.254 [SD = 0.41], P < .0001). There were no significant differences in operative time, intraoperative or postoperative complications. More LEP patients were on steroids 4 weeks postoperatively when compared with EP patients (14.6% vs 10.1%, P < .0002). LEP patients were less likely to undergo subsequent YAG capsulotomy (7.3% vs 12.8%, P < .0001). Disparities in cataract outcomes between EP and LEP patients was demonstrated. Further research into ophthalmic health disparities for LEP patients is needed to understand the root causes and how they can be addressed.

Impact of primary language on health inequities in multiple myeloma.

e18640 Background: Limited English proficiency (LEP) has been shown to exacerbate health inequities in the US due to difficulties navigating a complex health system and assimilating complicated information regarding diagnosis, and treatment. Advances in multiple myeloma (MM) care have improved clinical outcomes but added complexity to diagnosis and treatment. However, there is limited data on whether LEP impacts health inequities in MM care. We sought to assess the impact of primary language on MM care and outcomes at our safety net hospital, serving a culturally and linguistically diverse population where patients have equal access to novel agents and autologous stem cell transplant (SCT). Methods: We retrospectively studied 213 patients with newly diagnosed MM between January 1st, 2000, and December 31st, 2021. Data were extracted from electronic medical records. Patients were classified as LEP or EP based on self-reported language at the time of diagnosis. Patients were subsequently propensity matched based on age, sex, type of insurance, Charlson comorbidity index, creatinine, LDH, year of MM diagnosis, ISS stage, presence of high-risk cytogenetics, and receipt of SCT. Type of insurance was used as a surrogate for socioeconomic status. Kaplan Meier estimate and log rank tests were used to assess overall (OS) and progression free survival (PFS). Results: Of 213 patients, 75 (35.2%) had LEP, 135 (63.4%) were black, 49 (23.0%) were white, 22 (10.3%) patients were of another race, and 7 (3.3%) did not self-identify. Mean age was 63.6 (SD ± 11.4), and 114 (53.5%) patients were male. Median follow-up of the entire cohort was 56.9 months. At baseline, there were no statistically significant differences in the covariates above between LEP and EP patients except for increased incidence of diabetes mellitus in EP patients (84.0% vs. 89.1%, p 0.02). More LEP patients were inpatients at the time of diagnosis compared to EP patients (36.0% [27/ 75] versus 23.9% [33/138]). Median number of hospitalizations and ED visits in the first 6 months of diagnosis were 4 and 3 versus 1 and 2 in LEP versus EP patients, respectively. There were no differences in adjusted PFS or OS between propensity matched LEP and EP patients. Conclusions: In our cohort, there were no significant differences in demographics, clinical parameters, socioeconomic status, or transplant utilization between LEP and EP patients, which allowed us to assess the association of primary language with any observed health inequities. In a setting where all patients have access to novel treatments, SCT, patient navigators, interpreters, and social workers, there were no differences in PFS or OS. However, language barriers may explain health inequities related to later diagnosis and increased healthcare utilization. LEP patients with MM may benefit from additional language-concordant resources to improve disparities.

Dual language interview guide to improve understanding of risk perception among newly diagnosed breast cancer patients who are limited English proficient (LEP).

e24031 Background: In the U.S. 60% of those diagnosed with cancer are over age 65. This group is also larger, living longer, and more diverse than previous generations. This diversity includes increased proportions of older adults who are limited English proficient (LEP) which is defined as speaking English less than “very well” as measure by the U.S. Census. Access to language services is a protected right both via Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the 2000 Executive Order 19166 mandating language services and the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. However, research remains limited in addressing linguistic and cognitive barriers experienced by LEP patients. Methods: Using an adapted forward-translation method from the World Health Organization the goal is for conceptual equivalence not direct translation. This approach includes multiple independent forward translations, a bilingual adjudicator with content expertise and community and expert reviewers. This approach allows for codification of divergence of semantic, conceptual, and normative equivalence. Semantic relates to words and equivalence or eloquence, conceptual refers to the general idea and normative relates to the social-cultural relevance or appropriateness of the topic itself (Pan, de la Puente, 2005). Two trained interpreters conducted forward translations, a third adjudicated. The interview guide was reviewed by two radiation oncologists and tested with a bilingual breast cancer survivor. Results: Semantic and conceptual equivalence were confirmed with expert panel review and are the equivalent of previously used “back-translation” however, we were also able to ensure normative equivalence, or the socio-cultural relevance to our study participants which were LEP Latina breast cancer patients. A final semi-structured interview guide was finalized and approved by the UCSD IRB to be fielded in March 2023. Conclusions: Adapting existing validated instruments requires more than just consideration of terminology, an understanding of semantic, conceptual, and normative equivalence is critical for improving culturally and linguistically appropriate research among minoritized and LEP geriatric oncology populations.

Assessing the translation capabilities of NCI-designated cancer websites with a focus on lung, breast, prostate and ovarian cancers.

e18514 Background: The world is becoming more and more dependent on the internet for garnering information. Medicine is no exception, with studies suggesting that 70% of patients will consult the internet to learn more about their health. Considering the diverse population served by the United States healthcare system, it is crucial that information can be accessed by Americans of Limited English Proficiency (LEP). This is especially true when it comes to cancer, a disease affecting hundreds of thousands of LEP Americans each year. National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer treatment centers represent the cutting-edge treatment facilities in oncology. Americans diagnosed with cancer often turn to the website of the nearest NCI-designated cancer center. Our study provides a snapshot of which NCI-designated cancer center websites provide translation capabilities for patient navigations including appointment scheduling, disease information and treatment for four of the most common types of cancer. Methods: Over the course of 2022, we performed a cross-sectional review of the language and translation services available to patients on each of the 71 NCI-designated cancer center websites with a focus on lung, breast, prostate and ovarian cancers. The primary outcomes included availability of translation services, method of translation (google translator vs. written text vs. telephonic) and number of languages offered. Results: Of the 71 NCI-designated cancer center websites, 15 (21.1%) provide information on prostate, lung, ovarian and breast cancer in languages other than English. Among these, 9 (60%) provide direct translation, 1 redirects the user to the NCI website for cancer information, and 5 offer only language lines. Furthermore, of the 9 cancer centers offering direct translation on their websites, only 6 had 2 or more languages. The most common translation language was Spanish (15/15) followed by Arabic and Chinese (11/15). The availability of translated cancer information on these websites did not correlate with the prevalence of LEP in each state. Analyzing previous NCI website interrogations shows that there has been no increase in the translation capabilities of NCI websites since 2019. Conclusions: One way to improve the quality of care in patients with Limited English Proficiency by improving access to care is to increase language concordant resources. NCI designated cancer center websites are sources of cancer related health knowledge. Our research exemplified that there are areas of opportunity to improve the reachability of these recourses to the LEP population. Increasing language concordant resources acknowledges and addresses one of the barriers to care that interferes with the quality of cancer care for LEP patients, promoting shared health care decision making for better health outcomes in a vulnerable population.

Reproductive inequity and inferior intrauterine insemination outcomes in patients with limited English proficiency: a retrospective cohort study

To evaluate if language preference influences intrauterine insemination outcomes. Retrospective cohort. The study was conducted at an urban medical center in New York from January 2016 to August 2021. All women older than 18 years undergoing their first IUI cycle with an infertility diagnosis were included. Intrauterine insemination after ovarian stimulation. Primary outcomes were intrauterine insemination success rate and duration of infertility before seeking infertility care. The primary outcomes used the Kaplan-Meier estimator to investigate the difference in duration of infertility before specialty consultation and logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of clinical pregnancy among English speakers vs. those with limited English proficiency (LEP) undergoing initial IUI. Secondary outcomes included final IUI outcomes compared by language preference. Adjusted analyses controlled for race/ethnicity. A total of 406 patients were included in this study, of which 86% preferred English, 7.6% preferred Spanish, and 5.2% preferred other. Patients with LEP have longer duration of infertility before seeking infertility care than English-proficient women (mean 4.53 ± 3.65 years vs. 2.01 ± 1.58 years). Although clinical pregnancy rate of initial IUI did not significantly vary (OR, 2.92; 95% CI, 0.68-12.47 unadjusted and OR, 2.88; 95% CI, 0.67-12.35 adjusted), the cumulative pregnancy rate was significantly higher in English-proficient patients than in LEP patients at the time of final IUI (22.32% vs. 15.38%). This is despite a similar number of total IUIs (2.40 English vs. 2.70 LEP). Additionally, LEP patients were significantly more likely to discontinue care after unsuccessful IUI, instead of proceeding to further fertility treatments such as invitro fertilization. Limited English proficiency is associated with longer duration of infertility before initiating care as well as poorer IUI outcomes, including lower cumulative pregnancy rate. Further research is needed to assess what clinical and socioeconomic factors are contributing to lower IUI success rates and lower continuation in infertility care in LEP patients.

Longer Times to Delivery of Otolaryngology Care for Patients With Limited English Proficiency.

Limited English proficiency (LEP) is known to contribute to poorer health outcomes and delays in management. However, to our knowledge, no other studies have explored the impact of LEP on delays to care within otolaryngology. This study aims to investigate the relationship between LEP and the time to delivery of otolaryngology care. We retrospectively reviewed 1125 electronic referrals to an otolaryngologist from primary care providers at 2health centers in the greater Boston area, between January 2015 and December 2019. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine if patient LEP status (preferred language non-English and language interpreter use) has an impact on total time to appointment (TTTA). Patients with non-English preferred languages were 2.6 times more likely to experience extended TTTA (odds ratio [OR] = 2.61, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.99-3.42, p < .001) relative to English-speaking patients. Patients who required interpreter use were 2.4 times more likely to experience extended TTTA (OR = 2.42, 95% CI = 1.84-3.18, p < .001) relative to patients who did not require an interpreter. There was no difference in age, sex, insurance type, education level, or marital status. TTTA did not vary by diagnosis category (p = .09). LEP is an important factor that influences the time to appointment in our cohort. Notably, the impact of LEP on appointment wait times was independent of diagnosis. Clinicians should recognize LEP as a factor that can impact the overall delivery of care in otolaryngology. Specifically, mechanisms to streamline care for LEP patients should be considered.

Pain Assessment Disparities by Race, Ethnicity, and Language in Adult Hospitalized Patients

AimNurses assess patients’ pain using several validated tools. It is not known what disparities exist in pain assessment for medicine inpatients. Our purpose was to measure differences in pain assessment across patient characteristics, including race, ethnicity, and language status. MethodsRetrospective cohort study of adult general medicine inpatients from 2013 to 2021. The primary exposures were race/ethnicity and limited English proficiency (LEP) status. The primary outcomes were 1) the type and odds of which pain assessment tool nursing used and 2) the relationship between pain assessments and daily opioid administration. ResultsOf 51,602 patient hospitalizations, 46.1% were white, 17.4% Black, 16.5% Asian, and 13.2% Latino. 13.2% of patients had LEP. The most common pain assessment tool was the Numeric Rating Scale (68.1%), followed by the Verbal Descriptor Scale (23.7%). Asian patients and patients with LEP were less likely to have their pain documented numerically. In multivariable logistic regression, patients with LEP (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.58-0.65) and Asian patients (OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.70-0.78) had the lowest odds of numeric ratings. Latino, Multi-Racial, and patients classified as Other also had lower odds than white patients of numeric ratings. Asian patients and patients with LEP received the fewest daily opioids across all pain assessment categories. ConclusionsAsian patients and patients with LEP were less likely than other patient groups to have a numeric pain assessment and received the fewest opioids. These inequities may serve as the basis for the development of equitable pain assessment protocols.

Results of a Multidisciplinary Workshop to Reduce Bias and Improve Health Equity for Patients With Limited English Proficiency [ID: 1375774

INTRODUCTION: Birthing people with limited English proficiency (LEP) often face systemic limitations to care and are at increased risk for disparate birth outcomes due to barriers in patient–provider communication. Patients with LEP are particularly vulnerable to biases and microaggressions that can limit timely health care delivery and the quality of services received. We developed a multidisciplinary curriculum to educate providers about 1) unconscious bias (UCB), 2) barriers to equitable health care delivery for patients with LEP, and 3) use of trained interpreter services to promote patient–provider communication. METHODS: We developed a 60-minute workshop for physicians/midwives/nurses (n=75). Surveys were used to assess change in knowledge. Results were evaluated by descriptive statistics, t tests for significance, and thematic analysis. Institutional review board approval was obtained. RESULTS: Approximately 75 participants attended the workshop. Thirty-three percent of pre-workshop survey respondents (13/39) had not received cultural competency training within the last 3 years. Approximately 1 in 5 (22%) pre-workshop respondents were unaware of their hospital's interpreter services policy. After a brief didactic presentation, participants identified common microaggressions and barriers to care for patients with LEP. They also developed 15 unique strategies to promote communication via use of trained interpreters when the patient/family initially opt for ad hoc interpretation instead. At workshop completion, 97.1% of participants reported that they will adopt or modify an existing strategy when communicating with LEP patients and families. CONCLUSION: Post-workshop survey results suggest that continuing education can be used to address UCB for patients with LEP and promote use of interpreter services to improve patient–provider communication.

A Multilingual Chatbot Can Effectively Engage Arthroplasty Patients Who Have Limited English Proficiency

BackgroundIn the United States, English language proficiency is widely accepted as a key social determinant of health. For patients with limited English proficiency (LEP), language barriers can make the delivery of perioperative instructions challenging. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a multilingual chatbot could effectively engage LEP patients and improve their outcome after total joint arthroplasty (TJA). MethodsWe identified 1,282 TJA patients (705 knees, 577 hips) who enrolled in a short message service (SMS) chatbot from 2020-2022. Forty-seven patients enrolled in the chatbot received their messages in a language other than English. A historical control of 68 LEP patients not enrolled in the chatbot was identified. Chi-squared, Fisher’s exact test, and t-tests were performed to measure the effect that conversational engagement had on emergency department (ED) visits, hospital readmissions, and reoperations. ResultsThere was no difference in the conversational engagement between LEP patients and those with English as their primary language (EPL) (12.3 versus 12.2 text responses, P = .959). The LEP cohort who enrolled in the chatbot had fewer readmissions (0% versus 8.3%, P = .013) and a near significant reduction in ED visits (0.9% versus 8.0%, P = .085) compared to those not enrolled. There was no difference in reoperations between the 2 cohorts. ConclusionLEP and EPL patients engaged equally with the multilingual chatbot. LEP patients who enrolled in the chatbot had fewer readmissions and a near significant reduction in ED visits. Multilingual platforms such as this chatbot may provide more equitable care to our frequently encountered LEP patients.

Language Disparity Predicts Poor Patient-Reported Outcome and Follow-Up in Microsurgical Breast Reconstruction.

Patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) have starkly different health care experiences compared with their English-proficient counterparts. The authors aim to examine the link between LEP and postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing microsurgical breast reconstruction. A retrospective review of all patients who underwent abdominal-based microsurgical breast reconstruction at our institution between 2009 and 2019 was performed. Variables collected included patient demographics, language status, interpreter usage, perioperative complications, follow-up visits, and self-reported outcomes (Breast-Q). Pearson's χ 2 test, Student's t-test, odds ratio analysis, and regression modeling were used for analysis. A total of 405 patients were included. LEP patients comprised 22.22% of the overall cohort with 80% of LEP patients utilizing interpreter services. LEP patients reported significantly lower satisfaction with an abdominal appearance at the 6-month follow-up and lower physical and sexual well-being scores at the 1-year follow-up (p = 0.05, 0.02, 0.01, respectively). Non-LEP patients had significantly longer operative times (539.6 vs. 499.3 minutes, p = 0.024), were more likely to have postoperative donor site revisions (p = 0.05), and more likely to receive preoperative neuraxial anesthesia (p = 0.01). After adjusting for confounders, LEP stats was associated with 0.93 fewer follow-up visits (p = 0.02). Interestingly, compared with LEP patients who did not receive interpreter services, LEP patients who did had 1.98 more follow-up visits (p = 0.02). There were no significant differences in emergency room visits or complications between the cohorts. Our findings suggest that language disparities exist within microsurgical breast reconstruction and underscore the importance of effective, language-conscious communication between surgeon and patient.

Medical interpreter-mediated genetic counseling for Spanish preferring adults at risk for a hereditary cancer syndrome.

The objective of this study was to identify interpretation challenges specific to exome sequencing and errors of potential clinical significance in the context of genetic counseling for adults at risk for a hereditary cancer syndrome. Thirty transcripts of interpreter-mediated telephone results disclosure genetic counseling appointments were coded for errors by bilingual researchers, and the coders applied an overall rating to denote the degree to which the errors interfered with communication overall. Genetic counselors reviewed a subset of errors flagged for potential clinical significance to identify those likely to have clinical impact. Qualitative interviews with 19 interpreters were analyzed to elucidate the challenges they face in interpreting for genetic counseling appointments. Our analysis identified common interpretation errors such as raising the register, omissions, and additions. Further, we found errors specific to genetic counseling concepts and content that appeared to impact the ability of the genetic counselor to accurately assess risk. These errors also may have impacted the patient's ability to understand their results, access appropriate follow-up care, and communicate with family members. Among interpreters' strengths was the use of requests for clarification; in fact, even more use of clarification would have been beneficial in these encounters. Qualitative interviews surfaced challenges stemming from the structure of interpreter work, such as switching from medical and nonmedical interpretations without substantial breaks. Importantly, while errors were frequent, most did not impede communication overall, and most were not likely to impact clinical care. Nevertheless, potentially clinically impactful errors in communication of genetics concepts may contribute to inequitable care for limited English proficient patients and suggest that additional training in genetics and specialization in healthcare may be warranted. In addition, training for genetic counselors and guidance for patients in working effectively with interpreters could enhance interpreters' transmission of complex genetic concepts.

The Impact of the Need for Language Assistance Services on the Use of Regional Anesthesia, Postoperative Pain Scores and Opioid Administration in Surgical Oncology Patients

Language barriers can negatively impact the quality of healthcare. In surgical patients, limited English proficiency (LEP) can lead to disparities in acute postoperative pain management. Interpreters are often used for communication with LEP patients to help alleviate these disparities. We aimed to investigate the impact of the need for language assistance services (LAS) in acute postoperative pain management in patients undergoing oncologic surgery. We retrospectively collected data on adult patients undergoing open abdominal oncologic surgery between March 2016 and August 2021. The need for LAS, patient demographics, treatment and clinical outcomes were obtained from the patient's electronic medical record. The primary endpoint was pain intensity, while secondary endpoints included opioid use in PACU and regional anesthesia. Post-matching analysis (n = 590) demonstrated no significant difference in preoperative variables between patients needing LAS and those not needing LAS. The rate of regional use was slightly lower but not statistically significant in patients needing LAS. Patients needing LAS had significantly lower opioid consumption and reported lower pain intensity in PACU than subjects not requiring translation. In this study, LAS may have aided in the patient decision process regarding the acceptance of regional anesthesia. Although the need for LAS was associated with statistically significant lower pain intensity scores and a corresponding lesser opioid use than no LAS, the margin of differences, especially in pain intensity scores, may not be clinically significant. This may suggest that LAS allowed for better patient-provider communication and appropriate pain management.

Disparities in eye clinic patient encounters among patients requiring language interpreter services

BackgroundCommunication barriers are a major cause of health disparities for patients with limited English proficiency (LEP). Medical interpreters play an important role in bridging this gap, however the impact of interpreters on outpatient eye center visits has not been studied. We aimed to evaluate the differences in length of eyecare visits between LEP patients self-identifying as requiring a medical interpreter and English speakers at a tertiary, safety-net hospital in the United States.MethodsA retrospective review of patient encounter metrics collected by our electronic medical record was conducted for all visits between January 1, 2016 and March 13, 2020. Patient demographics, primary language spoken, self-identified need for interpreter and encounter characteristics including new patient status, patient time waiting for providers and time in room were collected. We compared visit times by patient’s self-identification of need for an interpreter, with our main outcomes being time spent with ophthalmic technician, time spent with eyecare provider, and time waiting for eyecare provider. Interpreter services at our hospital are typically remote (via phone or video).ResultsA total of 87,157 patient encounters were analyzed, of which 26,443 (30.3%) involved LEP patients identifying as requiring an interpreter. After adjusting for patient age at visit, new patient status, physician status (attending or resident), and repeated patient visits, there was no difference in the length of time spent with technician or physician, or time spent waiting for physician, between English speakers and patients identifying as needing an interpreter. Patients who self-identified as requiring an interpreter were more likely to have an after-visit summary printed for them, and were also more likely to keep their appointment once it was made when compared to English speakers.ConclusionsEncounters with LEP patients who identify as requiring an interpreter were expected to be longer than those who did not indicate need for an interpreter, however we found that there was no difference in the length of time spent with technician or physician. This suggests providers may adjust their communication strategy during encounters with LEP patients identifying as needing an interpreter. Eyecare providers must be aware of this to prevent negative impacts on patient care. Equally important, healthcare systems should consider ways to prevent unreimbursed extra time from being a financial disincentive for seeing patients who request interpreter services.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of psychosocial interventions for immigrant and limited English proficient cancer patients.

Immigrants, particularly those who are less acculturated and limited English proficient (LEP), often lack access to culturally and linguistically appropriate psychosocial care in cancer survivorship. We sought to determine what psychosocial interventions are available for immigrant and/or LEP cancer patients and to assess treatment and patient factors that may correlate with better psychosocial outcomes for this population. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies published through August 2022 of interventions conducted with immigrant and/or LEP cancer patients aimed at improving psychosocial outcomes (i.e., quality of life, depression, cancer-related distress, and anxiety). Using Covidence, a software program for systematic review management, four independent raters screened 16,123 records with a systematic process for reconciling disagreement, yielding 48 articles (45 studies) for systematic review and 21 studies for meta-analysis. Most studies were conducted with Spanish-speaking patients with breast cancer. Study participants (N=5400) were primarily middle-aged (mean=53years old), female (90.0%), and Hispanic (67.0%). The weighted average effect size (g) across studies was 0.14 (95% CI 0.03-0.26) for quality of life (18 studies), 0.04 (95% CI -0.08 to 0.17) for depression (8 studies), 0.14 (95% CI -0.03 to 0.31) for cancer-related distress (6 studies), and 0.03 (95% CI -0.11 to 0.16) for anxiety (5 studies). The interventions under review had small but beneficial effects on psychosocial outcomes for immigrant and LEP cancer patients. Notably, effect sizes were smaller than those found in previous meta-analyses of psychosocial interventions conducted in majority U.S.-born, non-Hispanic White, English-speaking cancer patient samples. More research is needed to identify key components and adaptations of interventions that benefit immigrant and LEP cancer patients to strengthen their effects for this growing yet underserved population.

Abstract HUP10: Stroke Codes In Limited English Proficiency Patients - Current State And Scope For Improvement With Interpreter Education And Need For NIHSS Revision

Objective: Improve the institution of NIH Stroke scale (NIHSS) and outcomes of Stroke codes in low English proficiency population (LEP) at a comprehensive stroke center. Background: LEP individuals are those with limited ability to read, write, speak, or understand English. The 2000 national census showed 47 million U.S. citizens/residents aged 5 years and older spoke a language other than English at home. This is projected to grow by 67 million by 2050. For patients from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, language barriers contribute to poorer quality of care. Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability and death and our aim is to ensure that time-sensitive interventions during a Stroke code are available to our LEP patients in the most efficient and fastest manner. Design/Methods: 1) Pre-intervention survey of providers 2) Creating a set of English words that are more internationally used to assess dysarthria 3) Interpreter Education (for select languages) regarding stroke, acuity of Stroke codes, NIHSS content, tPA and thrombectomy 4) Easy access for providers to the trained interpreters and use of the new Dysarthria words 5) Post-intervention survey of providers running Stroke code 6) Compare post-intervention door-to-needle and door-to-thrombectomy times in languages intervened to other languages in the same period of time. Results: Pre-intervention survey shows that 84.6% of the providers (n=26) deemed running LEP stroke codes in a time-efficient manner as difficult or very difficult. 50% found getting a telephonic interpreter to start the communication to be slow/very slow. 88.5% found the telephonic providers to be either somewhat helpful or not so helpful during the code. 92% of the providers found the words to test dysarthria on the NIHSS to be not helpful in LEP stroke patients. ConclusionS: It is apparent that LEP Stroke codes can be improved based on the above provider opinions. Therefore, we have set into motion a multi-pronged strategy by rethinking the contents of NIHSS, interpreter education and finally instituting an intervention based on the same. The study has started the final phase of having providers access the trained interpreters. The data of the latter will be collected in about 2 years’ time.

Effective Access to Laboratory Test Results: A Health Equity Issue that Enhances Diagnostic Excellence.

Access to laboratory test results through patient portals is a health equity issue for patients with limited English proficiency (LEP), particularly for Spanish-speaking patients, the largest minority group in the USA. Gaps ranging from linguistic, cultural, and socioeconomic disparities to lack of systematic approaches (e.g., implementation of specific support protocols, policies) are among the identified factors that limit LEP patients' access to patient portals. This paper summarizes initiatives healthcare providers, laboratory professionals, and portal developers can use to address disparities that affect >26 million LEPs while improving their health equity.