Language Services In Hospitals Vary By Ownership And Location

Melody K Schiaffino; Atsushi Nara; Liang Mao

doi:10.1377/hlthaff.2015.0955

Language Services In Hospitals Vary By Ownership And Location

Health Aff (Millwood). 2016 Aug 1;35(8):1399-403. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2015.0955.

Authors

Melody K Schiaffino¹, Atsushi Nara², Liang Mao³

Affiliations

¹ Melody K. Schiaffino (mschiaffino@mail.sdsu.edu) is an assistant professor in the Graduate School of Public Health at San Diego State University, in California.
² Atsushi Nara is an assistant professor of geography at San Diego State University.
³ Liang Mao is an assistant professor of geography at the University of Florida, in Gainesville.

PMID: 27503963
DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2015.0955

Abstract

Twenty-four million people in the United States have limited English proficiency. They experience barriers to health care because of their inability to communicate effectively with providers. Hospitals are required to provide language services that reflect the needs of people in their communities, but these services are not available systematically.

Keywords: Hospitals; Limited English Proficiency; Organization and Delivery of Care; Quality Of Care; Special Populations.

Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Publication types

Comparative Study

MeSH terms

American Hospital Association
Communication Barriers*
Databases, Factual
Female
Geography*
Hospitals*
Humans
Male
Multilingualism
Needs Assessment
Ownership / economics*
Personal Health Services / statistics & numerical data
Physician-Patient Relations
Translations*
United States