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Thanks for reading the Multilingual Books newsletter, your source for foreign language news, information, and product information and specials from Multilingual Books. This is also available as a web page at our website, www.multilingualbooks.com. In this issue:
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Language barriers compromise health care for 50 million Americans who do not speak English
Public release from eurekalert.org
While passions flare on all sides of the language debate, the sad truth is that the language barrier negatively impacts health care for 50 million (19 percent) U.S. residents who do not speak English at home and the 22 million (eight percent) with limited English proficiency.
Writing in the July 20 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, Glenn Flores, M.D., one of the foremost experts on the issue of multicultural health care communication in the U.S., highlights the many deleterious and sometimes tragic effects of language barriers on health and health care for these patients. Lack of effective communication also contributes to the high cost of healthcare, according to Dr. Flores, professor of pediatrics, epidemiology and health policy at the Medical College of Wisconsin, and director of the Center for Advancement of Underserved Children at the Medical College and Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.
"No American should suffer from medical mistakes, preventable hospitalizations, and substandard medical care just because he or she doesn't speak English," Says Dr. Flores.
His perspective article includes examples of tragic consequences of miscommunication between the physician and ad hoc medical interpreters for patients with limited English proficiency:
* The misinterpretation of a single word led to a patient's delayed care, preventable quadriplegia and a $71 million malpractice settlement. The patient was wrongfully treated for drug abuse when he actually was complaining that he felt sick to his stomach. The delay in treatment resulted in rupture of a brain aneurysm.
* An ad hoc interpreter told the mother of a seven-year old girl to put an oral antibiotic in the girl's ear to treat her middle ear infection.
* A resident physician who interpreted a Spanish speaking mother's explanation that her daughter had "hit herself" when she fell off her tricycle assumed the fracture had resulted from abuse, and called the social services department who had the mother sign over custody of her two children.
"As these cases illustrate, it can be dangerous to have children, family members and friends provide medical interpretation," points out Dr. Flores.
Yet many patients who need medical interpreters have no access to them. According to one study, there was no interpreter used in 46 percent of emergency-department cases involving patients with limited English proficiency.
"Communication is essential to high-quality care and positive health outcomes in any physician-patient interaction," Dr. Flores says. "When a language barrier exists without a qualified medical interpreter the situation can be potentially explosive. This is particularly true of young children who are unlikely to have full command of two languages and medical terminology and who generally avoid discussing sensitive issues."
Dr. Flores's review of the literature and his own studies show that patients who face such barriers find it more difficult to access care, and are less likely to have a usual source of medical care. They receive fewer preventive services and are at increased risk of nonadherence to medication. Asthmatic children are at greater risk for intubation, are less likely to return for follow up visits after being seen in the emergency department, and have higher rates of hospitalizations and drug complications. This results in greater expenditure of healthcare dollars, and patients report lower satisfaction with care.
On the other hand, the provision of adequate language services results in optimal communication, patient satisfaction, outcomes, resource utilization, and safety. "The time has come for the federal government to require all payers to reimburse providers for interpreter services in healthcare," Dr. Flores concludes.
See the full release at: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-07/mcow-lbc071206.php.
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This month we are pleased to bring you the latest on two of our top software products!
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Talk More! Language Courses Talk More! is available in versions for learning the following languages: Arabic, Basque, Cantonese, Czech, Danish, American English, British English, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Malay, Mandarin, Mexican Spanish, Norwegian, Portuguese, Scots Gaelic, and Spanish. Windows and Macintosh CD-ROM. Check it out at our Talk Now page! |  |
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TeLL me More Language Course Software V.7 Premium Collection Check it out at our Tell Me More Premium page! |  |
September Top Products
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Last month's quiz: This month's quiz is all about numbers. Some of these may surprise you! How many of the world's languages have a million or more speakers? 347 What approximate percentage of the world's languages does that represent? 5% The reamining languages are spoken by approximately what percentage of world population? 6% What nation has the most indigenous languages? How many? Papua New Guinea, 820 This month's quiz: Each quotation below is by a famous linguist. For each quote, name the linguist. "Language is a process of free creation; its laws and principles are fixed, but the manner in which the principles of generation are used is free and infinitely varied. Even the interpretation and use of words involves a process of free creation." "Experience becomes possible because of language." "The structure of language determines not only thought, but reality itself." "Propaganda is to a democracy what the bludgeon is to a totalitarian state." "The intellectual tradition is one of servility to power, and if I didn't betray it I'd be ashamed of myself." The answers and the winner will be in our next newsletter. Winner will receive their choice of one Talk Now or World Talk language CD-ROM! No purchase necessary to enter. E-mail your entry to:
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Languages of the World
This exceptionally content-rich site is sponsored by the National Virtual Translation Center. Features include general language information pages, extensive information pages on many languages, links and other resources for language learning, and much more.
Check it out at http://www.nvtc.gov/lotw/index.html.
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Save $15 on Tell Me More!
Tell Me More Language Software Save $15 on Tell Me More for one week only! Order today! Use promo code M-TMM15-926 to receive this special. |
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FREE Shipping on Talk Now and World Talk! Talk Now and World Talk CD-ROM Courses
For a limited time, get FREE shipping (US orders only) on Talk Now and World Talk! Order today to save with our one week only newsletter special! Use promo code M-TWFS-926 to receive this special. |
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Save $10 on Foreign Service Institute Courses!
Foreign Service Institute Courses
Language Associates FSI Digital Editions For a limited time, save $10 on any Foreign Service Institute course! Use promo code M-FSI10-926 to receive this special. Order today! |
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