Patterns and Predictors of Professional Interpreter Use in the Pediatric Emergency Department.
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ABSTRACT: Background and objectives
Professional interpretation for patients with limited English proficiency remains underused. Understanding predictors of use is crucial for intervention. We sought to identify factors associated with professional interpreter use during pediatric emergency department (ED) visits.Methods
We video recorded ED visits for a subset of participants (n = 50; 20% of the total sample) in a randomized trial of telephone versus video interpretation for Spanish-speaking limited English proficiency families. Medical communication events were coded for duration, health professional type, interpreter (none, ad hoc, or professional), and content. With communication event as the unit of analysis, associations between professional interpreter use and assigned interpreter modality, health professional type, and communication content were assessed with multivariate random-effects logistic regression, clustered on the patient.Results
We analyzed 312 communication events from 50 ED visits (28 telephone arm, 22 video arm). Professional interpretation was used for 36% of communications overall, most often for detailed histories (89%) and least often for procedures (11%) and medication administrations (8%). Speaker type, communication content, and duration were all significantly associated with professional interpreter use. Assignment to video interpretation was associated with significantly increased use of professional interpretation for communication with providers (adjusted odds ratio 2.7; 95% confidence interval: 1.1-7.0).Conclusions
Professional interpreter use was inconsistent over the course of an ED visit, even for patients enrolled in an interpretation study. Assignment to video rather than telephone interpretation led to greater use of professional interpretation among physicians and nurse practitioners but not nurses and other staff.
SUBMITTER: Lion KC
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7906072 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:The aim of our study was to analyze the use of interpreter services and improve communication during health encounters with families with limited language proficiency (LLP) at the pediatric emergency department (ED) of the University Hospital of Bern.This study is a pre- and post-intervention study analyzing the use of interpreter services for LLP families. All families originating from a country with a native language other than German, English or French presenting to the ED were eligible to participate in the study. If they agreed to participate, the language proficiency of the caregiver present during the health encounter was systematically assessed during a phone interview within a few days after the consultation, using a standardized screening tool. If screened positive (relevant LLP), a second phone interview with an interpreter was conducted. Further variables were extracted including nationality, age, gender and date of visit using administrative health records. To increase the use of interpreter services, a package of interventions was implemented at the department during 3 months. It consisted of: i) in person and online transcultural teaching ii) awareness raising through the regular information channels and iii) the introduction of a pathway to systematically identify and manage LLP families.The proportion of LLP families who received an interpreter was 11.0% (14/127) in the pre-intervention period compared to 14.8% (20/135) in the post-intervention period. The interpreter use was therefore increased by 3.8% (95% CI - 0.43 to 0.21; p = 0.36).The assessed level of language proficiency of caregivers differed from the self-reported level of language proficiency. Of the study participants in the interview whose language proficiency was screened as limited, 77.1% estimated their language proficiency level as intermediate. More than half of the LLP families who did not receive an interpreter and participated in the interview reported, that they would have liked an interpreter during the consultation.Conclusions: Interpreter services are largely underused during health encounters with LLP families. Relying on caregivers´ self-assessed language proficiency and their active request for an interpreter is not sufficient to ensure safe communication during health encounters. Systematic screening of language proficiency and standardized management of LLP families is feasible and needed at health care facilities to ensure equitable care. Further studies are needed to analyze personal and institutional barriers to interpreter use and find interventions to sustainably increase the use of interpreter services for LLP families.
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Project description:BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:Patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) experience worse health care outcomes compared to English proficient (EP) patients, and professional interpretation is underutilized in clinical settings. The objectives of this study were to describe patterns of interpreter use in a pediatric emergency department (ED), to determine factors associated with its use, and to examine differences in outcomes between EP families and those with LEP. METHODS:ED encounters for LEP and EP patients were reviewed in a retrospective cohort study design over a 15 month period. Generalized estimating equations were used to compare patient encounters and factors associated with interpreter use. RESULTS:Interpreter use for families who preferred a non-English language was 45.4%. Use of interpretation was less likely during busier times of day (odds ratio [OR] 0.85, confidence interval [CI] 0.78-0.93), with a lower triage acuity (OR 0.66, CI 0.62-0.70), and with each increasing year of patient age (OR 0.97, CI 0.96-0.98). LEP patients who did not receive interpretation were less likely to be admitted than EP patients (OR 0.69, 0.62-0.78). Patients of LEP families, with or without interpretation, were more likely to be transferred to the ICU within 24 hours of admission than patients of EP families (OR 1.76, 1.07-2.90; 1.85, 1.08-3.18) suggesting that an aspect of clinical severity may have been missed in the ED. CONCLUSIONS:Professional interpretation is currently underutilized in this ED for patients with LEP, and important differences in outcomes exist between LEP and EP patients. Factors associated with interpreter use will inform ongoing improvement efforts.
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Project description:BackgroundDisadvantaged minority children are disproportionately affected by asthma. This group is also known to frequently use the emergency department (ED) for asthma care. Understanding decisions for use of the ED is important to prevent high cost.ObjectiveTo examine caregiver factors associated with the decision to use the ED for asthma care in inner-city children with asthma.MethodsOne hundred fifty participants in a randomized clinical trial testing the effectiveness of a home-based asthma intervention were enrolled, and questionnaires were administered to caregivers during the child's ED asthma visit. Sociodemographics, health characteristic data, and caregiver interview data were examined to ascertain factors that affected caregiver decision making to use the ED for asthma care. A cluster analysis was performed to correlate caregiver reasons for the decision to use the ED for asthma care.ResultsThree clusters emerged for decision making: urgency, preference for the use of the ED, and access to care issues. The perception of urgency was the most common reason reported by caregivers (91%) followed by reporting a preference for the ED for care (37%) and reporting access to care issues (31%). Access to care was primarily attributable to the inability to get a same-day appointment with their primary care practitioner (24%).ConclusionThe caregiver factors involved in the decision to use the ED can provide a basis for further intervention and investigation. Such factors include caregiver asthma home management, improvement in relationships with primary care practitioners, and access to care-related issues.
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Project description:BACKGROUND:The aim of this nationwide study was to investigate barriers to adequate professional interpreter use and to describe existing initiatives and identify key factors for successful interpreter policies in primary care, using Switzerland as a case study. METHODS:Adult and paediatric primary care providers were invited to participate in an online cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. All accredited regional interpreter agencies were contacted first by email and, in the absence of a reply, by mail and then by phone. Local as well as the national health authorities were asked about existing policies. RESULTS:599 primary care physicians participated. Among other reasons, physicians identified cumbersome organization (58.7%), absent financial coverage (53.7%) and lack of knowledge on how to arrange interpreter interventions (44%) as main barriers. The odds of organising professional interpreters were 6.6-times higher with full financial coverage. Some agencies confirmed difficulties providing professional interpreters for certain languages at a timely manner. Degrees of coverage of professional interpreter costs (full coverage to none) and organization varied between regions resulting in different levels of unmet needs. CONCLUSIONS:Professional interpreter use can be improved through the following points: increase awareness and knowledge of primary care providers on interpreter use and organization, ensure financial coverage, as well as address organizational aspects. Examples of successful interventions exist.
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Project description:Abstract Objectives In August 2021, “Operation Allies Welcome” evacuated 76,000 Afghan refugees to 8 US temporary housing facilities. The impact of refugee influx on local emergency department (ED) use and the resources needed during resettlement are poorly described. We report the frequency of pediatric ED visits and characterize the ED resources needed by pediatric Afghan refugees from 1 temporary housing facility. Methods This single‐center, retrospective cohort study identified participants via a refugee identifier in the medical record. The primary outcome was the frequency and timing of pediatric ED visits; secondary outcomes included resources used during ED evaluation and management. Trained reviewers collected data using a predefined instrument and descriptive statistics are reported. Results This study included 175 pediatric ED visits by Afghan refugees. The highest volumes (n = 73, 42%) occurred 3–5 weeks after evacuation. Common presenting complaints included fever (36%), gastrointestinal (15%), and respiratory (13%). Resources used included radiography (64%), lab testing (63%), and medication (78%). Specialist consultation occurred in 43% of visits; infectious diseases (17%) and neurology (15%) were the most common. Discharge (61%) was more common than admission (39%), though 31% of discharged patients had a repeat ED visit. Only 51% attended a recommended follow‐up appointment. Conclusion In this study, most pediatric ED visits by refugees occurred within 5 weeks of arrival. Most patients were discharged after diagnostic testing, medication, and specialist consultation, but repeat ED visits were common. These patterns have important implications in preparing for future mass displacement events.
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Project description:ImportanceMaternal emergency department (ED) use before or during pregnancy is associated with worse obstetrical outcomes, for reasons including preexisting medical conditions and challenges in accessing health care. It is not known whether maternal prepregnancy ED use is associated with higher use of the ED by their infant.ObjectiveTo study the association between maternal prepregnancy ED use and risk of infant ED use in the first year of life.Design, setting, and participantsThis population-based cohort study included all singleton livebirths in all of Ontario, Canada, from June 2003 to January 2020.ExposuresAny maternal ED encounter within 90 days preceding the start of the index pregnancy.Main outcomes and measuresAny infant ED visit up to 365 days after the index birth hospitalization discharge date. Relative risks (RR) and absolute risk differences (ARD) were adjusted for maternal age, income, rural residence, immigrant status, parity, having a primary care clinician, and number of prepregnancy comorbidities.ResultsThere were 2 088 111 singleton livebirths; the mean (SD) maternal age was 29.5 (5.4) years, 208 356 (10.0%) were rural dwelling, and 487 773 (23.4%) had 3 or more comorbidities. Among singleton livebirths, 206 539 mothers (9.9%) had an ED visit within 90 days before the index pregnancy. ED use in the first year of life was higher among infants whose mother had visited the ED before pregnancy (570 per 1000) vs those whose mother had not (388 per 1000) (RR, 1.19 [95% CI, 1.18-1.20]; ARD, 91.1 per 1000 [95% CI, 88.6-93.6 per 1000]). Compared with mothers without a prepregnancy ED visit, the RR of infant ED use in the first year was 1.19 (95% CI, 1.18-1.20) if its mother had 1 prepregnancy ED visit, 1.18 (95% CI, 1.17-1.20) following 2 visits, and 1.22 (95% CI, 1.20-1.23) after at least 3 maternal visits. A low-acuity maternal prepregnancy ED visit was associated with an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 5.52 (95% CI, 5.16-5.90) for a low-acuity infant ED visit, which was numerically higher than the pairing of a high-acuity ED use between mother and infant (aOR, 1.43, 95% CI, 1.38-1.49).Conclusions and relevanceIn this cohort study of singleton livebirths, prepregnancy maternal ED use was associated with a higher rate of ED use by the infant in the first year of life, especially for low-acuity ED use. This study's results may suggest a useful trigger for health system interventions aimed at reducing some ED use in infancy.
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Project description:Children in communities with concentrated socioeconomic and structural disadvantage tend to have elevated rates of nonurgent visits to emergency departments (EDs). Using a spatial regression model of 264 census block groups in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, we investigated sociodemographic and structural factors associated with lower-than-expected ("low utilization") versus higher-than-expected ("high utilization") nonurgent ED visit rates among children in block groups with concentrated disadvantage. Compared with high-utilization block groups, low-utilization block groups had higher percentages of households with two adults, high school graduates, access to vehicles, sound housing quality, and owner-occupied housing. Notably, low-utilization block groups did not differ significantly from high-utilization block groups either in the percentage of households located within very close proximity to public transit or primary care or in children's health insurance coverage rates. Stakeholders wishing to reduce pediatric nonurgent ED visits among families in communities of concentrated disadvantage should consider strategies to mitigate financial, time, transportation, and health literacy constraints that may affect families' access to primary care.
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