A new group of studies has found that if a U.S. patient doesn't speak much English, they face some meaningful barriers to care--a serious issue given that about 20 million people in the U.S. fall into this category--according to a group of new studies published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
For one thing, non-English-speakers are less likely to get 10 recommended services then white, English speaking patients, one JGIM article found. The research also suggests that non-English-speakers are less likely to have reviewed informed consent documents before invasive procedures. In addition, researchers concluded that one in five hospital interpreters don't have adequate bilingual skills when it comes to medical interpretation, sometimes making word errors and leaving things out, which may potentially affect outcomes.
To get more detail on the studies:
- read this HealthDay News piece
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