TY  - JOUR
T1  - The interpreter as cultural educator of residents: Improving communication for latino parents
AU  - Wu A, Leventhal JM, Ortiz J, Gonzalez EE, Forsyth B
Y1  - 2006/11/01
N1  - 10.1001/archpedi.160.11.1145
JO  - Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine
SP  - 1145
EP  - 1150
VL  - 160
IS  - 11
N2  - Objective 
    To determine whether augmentation of the Spanish interpreter's role to include cultural education of residents can improve the satisfaction of Latino patients.Design 
    We assessed parent satisfaction during 4 sequential 2-month periods between June 1, 2004, and February 11, 2005, using different interpretation methods: telephone interpretation (n = 91 patient encounters), trained in-person interpretation (n = 49), in-person interpretation with cultural education of residents (n = 65), and postprogram telephone interpretation (n = 45).Setting 
    General pediatric practice at a large teaching hospital.Participants 
    A total of 250 Spanish-speaking parents who were limited in English proficiency.Interventions 
    The cultural education program included 3 brief preclinic conferences taught by an interpreter and one-on-one teaching of residents about language and cultural issues after each clinical encounter.Main Outcome Measures 
    Parent satisfaction was assessed using 8 questions that have previously been validated in Spanish. Lower scores indicated more satisfaction.Results 
    Because they were limited in English proficiency, our Spanish-speaking patients were significantly more satisfied when an in-person interpreter was used compared with a telephone interpreter (mean total satisfaction score of 14.5 [in-person] vs 17.4 [telephone]; P = .006) but were even more satisfied when the interpreter educated residents in cultural and language issues (mean, 11.5 [in-person with education] vs 17.4 [telephone]; P<.001).Conclusion 
    Although use of an in-person interpreter can increase Latino parents' satisfaction, a program using an interpreter to educate residents in cultural and language issues can increase satisfaction further.
SN  - 1072-4710
M3  - doi: 10.1001/archpedi.160.11.1145
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archpedi.160.11.1145
ER  -