Language barriers dog kids' docs

BALTIMORE, April 2 (UPI) -- U.S. pediatricians use family members instead of professional translators with non-English-speaking patients, says a new study.

In fact, 70 percent of physicians surveyed said they use the patient's bilingual family member to relay health information to a patient whose primary language is not English, says a new study done at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

The survey further showed 58 percent also involve bilingual staff members. Only 40 percent reported using professional interpreters, and only 35 percent offered translated written materials in their office.

Researcher Cynthia Minkovitz and her colleagues at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins analyzed a survey of 1,829 physicians and their translation practices conducted by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The poll also suggested pediatricians in areas with large numbers of Spanish-speaking patients were less likely to use professional interpreters. Dependence on professional translators was highest in states where translation services were covered by public health insurance, the survey found.

"There is an urgent need to promote appropriate language services through the use of interpreters, translated written materials, provider training and third-party reimbursement," Minkovitz said.

She added that failure to address these issues will contribute to inferior health status, compromise patient safety, decrease patient satisfaction, and increase the costs of health care services.

The study was published in the April issue of the journal Pediatrics.