Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30249270›Full record

ArticleInternational journal for equity in health2018

The experience of interpreter access and language discordant clinical encounters in Australian health care: a mixed methods exploration.

Jennifer White, Trish Plompen, Christian Osadnik, Leanne Tao, Emily Micallef, Terry Haines

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal for equity in health, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 37 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
37citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

37 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Piloting a language translation device for Mandarin-speaking patients presenting for radiotherapy treatment-assessing patient and radiation therapist perspectives.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2024
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  11. Cultural Humility in Action: Learning From Refugee and Migrant Women and Healthcare Providers to Improve Maternal Health Services in Australia.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2024
    Article
  12. Hidden care: a qualitative exploration of the roles and responsibilities of language brokers.International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being · 2024
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Jennifer WhiteSchool Primary and Allied Health Care, Monash University, Melbuorne, VIC, Australia. Jenni.white@monash.edu.ORCID 0000-0003-1875-1040
Trish PlompenPartnerships & Service Design, Monash Health, Melbuorne, VIC, Australia.
Christian OsadnikSchool Primary and Allied Health Care, Monash University, Melbuorne, VIC, Australia.
Leanne TaoPartnerships & Service Design, Monash Health, Melbuorne, VIC, Australia.
Emily MicallefPartnerships & Service Design, Monash Health, Melbuorne, VIC, Australia.
Terry HainesSchool Primary and Allied Health Care, Monash University, Melbuorne, VIC, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCurrent evidence highlights that language discordant clinical encounters seriously compromise patient quality of care and health outcomes. We aimed to characterise patterns of interpreter service use in medical inpatient wards use and explore clinician experience of language discordance.

methodsParticipants included medical students, residents, attending physicians, nursing and allied health professionals working in General Internal Medicine wards across two tertiary referral hospitals servicing a large Australian health care area. This study involved a retrospective electronic medical record audit of interpreter use. Six focus groups were conducted with 32 participants. Data were analysed using an inductive thematic approach with constant comparison.

resultsAllied health professionals were identified as the largest users of interpreter services, followed by medical doctors. Distinct themes emerged regarding clinician experiences of language discordant encounters including: (1) Negotiating care when unable to get an accurate assessment; (2) Over servicing to fill in the gaps; (3) Using family members instead of professional interpreters: a vexed solution; (4) Disparities in care provision; and (5) Communication drought: broken by a flood.

conclusionsPatients with low English proficiency are at risk of being less informed of care processes, and having a very large volume of information given in a shorter period of time when an interpreter is present. There is a need for systematic and transformative change that addresses utilisation of professional interpreters as well as embedded healthcare culture and practices leading to less interaction with patients with limited English proficiency and reliance on family members as informal interpreters.

Indexed as

Communication BarriersHealth Services AccessibilityLanguageTranslatingAdultAttitude of Health PersonnelAustraliaCommunicationFemaleFocus GroupsHumansMaleMiddle AgedPatient SatisfactionPhysician-Patient RelationsQuality of Health CareAccess to careInpatient medicineLanguage discordanceQualitative

Identifiers

PMID30249270
PMCPMC6154887

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.