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Creating a Tool to Assess Interpretive Services Perceptions at a Hospital System Level

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Abstract

The importance of using professional interpretive services (IS) when communicating with patients and families with limited English proficiency (LEP) is well described in the literature. There is no standardized tool to reliably evaluate IS from the point of view of bedside care providers. Collected local qualitative data and literature review informed an anonymous electronic survey that was distributed to physicians and nursing staff at a tertiary care children’s hospital. Authors then used exploratory factor analysis to analyze results. Survey response rate was 27%. Seven key factors were identified; the original survey was revised using the two most impactful questions contributing to each factor. Re-analysis showed Pearson correlation coefficients at or above 0.9. Using this simplified 14 question questionnaire, hospital systems can assess the knowledge, attitudes, self-reported utilization and perceived barriers around IS, allowing for targeted interventions to improve the care of LEP patients.

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Fig. 1

Abbreviations

IS:

Interpretive services

LEP:

Limited English proficiency

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Funding

The project was supported with funding from The Children’s Hospital Foundation. Dr. Sixia Chen and Ashley White are partially supported by National Institutes of Health, National Institute of General Medical Sciences [Grant 5U54GM104938-07, PI Judith James].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 1200 Children’s Ave, Ste 14100, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA

    Natalia Soulages Arrese, M. Townsend Cooper & Stephanie DeLeon

  2. Hudson College of Public Health, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 801 NE 13th St., Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA

    Ashley White & Sixia Chen

Authors
  1. Natalia Soulages Arrese
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  2. M. Townsend Cooper
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  3. Ashley White
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  4. Sixia Chen
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  5. Stephanie DeLeon
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stephanie DeLeon.

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The other authors have indicated they have no financial relationships relevant to this article to disclose.

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Soulages Arrese, N., Cooper, M.T., White, A. et al. Creating a Tool to Assess Interpretive Services Perceptions at a Hospital System Level. J Immigrant Minority Health 23, 1116–1120 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-021-01197-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-021-01197-5

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