Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Comparative Study
. 2001 Jul;16(7):468-74.
doi: 10.1046/j.1525-1497.2001.016007468.x.

Impact of interpreter services on delivery of health care to limited-English-proficient patients

E A Jacobs  1 , D S Lauderdale, D Meltzer, J M Shorey, W Levinson, R A Thisted
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Impact of interpreter services on delivery of health care to limited-English-proficient patients

E A Jacobs et al. J Gen Intern Med. 2001 Jul.

Abstract

Objective: To determine whether professional interpreter services increase the delivery of health care to limited-English-proficient patients.

Design: Two-year retrospective cohort study during which professional interpreter services for Portuguese and Spanish-speaking patients were instituted between years one and two. Preventive and clinical service information was extracted from computerized medical records.

Setting: A large HMO in New England.

Participants: A total of 4,380 adults continuously enrolled in a staff model health maintenance organization for the two years of the study, who either used the comprehensive interpreter services (interpreter service group [ISG]; N = 327) or were randomly selected into a 10% comparison group of all other eligible adults (comparison group [CG]; N = 4,053).

Measurements and main results: The measures were change in receipt of clinical services and preventive service use. Clinical service use and receipt of preventive services increased in both groups from year one to year two. Clinical service use increased significantly in the ISG compared to the CG for office visits (1.80 vs. 0.70; P <.01), prescriptions written (1.76 vs 0.53; P <.01), and prescriptions filled (2.33 vs. 0.86; P<.01). Rectal examinations increased significantly more in the ISG compared to the CG (0.26 vs. 0.02; P =.05) and disparities in rates of fecal occult blood testing, rectal exams, and flu immunization between Portuguese and Spanish-speaking patients and a comparison group were significantly reduced after the implementation of professional interpreter services.

Conclusion: Professional interpreter services can increase delivery of health care to limited-English-speaking patients.

PubMed Disclaimer

Comment in

References

    1. Tumulty P. What is a clinician and what does he do? N Engl J Med. 1970;283:20–4. - PubMed
    1. Statistical Abstract of the US 1990 Census. Washington, DC: US Bureau of the Census; 1993.
    1. Woloshin S, Bickell N, Schwartz L, Gany F, Welch G. Language barriers in medicine in the United States. JAMA. 1995;273:724–8. - PubMed
    1. Association of State and Territorial Offices. ASTHO Bilingual Health Initiative: Report and Recommendations. Washington, DC: Office of Minority Health; 1992.
    1. Need for interpreter/translation services critical in hospitals and other clinical settings. Health Care Strategic Manage. 1995;13:15. - PubMed

Publication types