Caregivers with limited language proficiency and their satisfaction with paediatric emergency care related to the use of professional interpreters: a mixed methods study

Objectives Communication is a main challenge in migrant health and essential for patient safety. The aim of this study was to describe the satisfaction of caregivers with limited language proficiency (LLP) with care related to the use of interpreters and to explore underlying and interacting factors...

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Main Authors: Julia Brandenberger, Kristina Keitel, Jabeen Fayyaz, Myriam Gmünder, Noemi Gessler, Sina Buser, Ursula Feuz, Anne Jachmann
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2024-01-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/14/1/e077716.full
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author Julia Brandenberger
Kristina Keitel
Jabeen Fayyaz
Myriam Gmünder
Noemi Gessler
Sina Buser
Ursula Feuz
Anne Jachmann
author_facet Julia Brandenberger
Kristina Keitel
Jabeen Fayyaz
Myriam Gmünder
Noemi Gessler
Sina Buser
Ursula Feuz
Anne Jachmann
author_sort Julia Brandenberger
collection DOAJ
description Objectives Communication is a main challenge in migrant health and essential for patient safety. The aim of this study was to describe the satisfaction of caregivers with limited language proficiency (LLP) with care related to the use of interpreters and to explore underlying and interacting factors influencing satisfaction and self-advocacy.Design A mixed-methods study.Setting Paediatric emergency department (PED) at a tertiary care hospital in Bern, Switzerland.Participants and methods Caregivers visiting the PED were systematically screened for their language proficiency. Semistructured interviews were conducted with all LLP-caregivers agreeing to participate and their administrative data were extracted.Results The study included 181 caregivers, 14 of whom received professional language interpretation. Caregivers who were assisted by professional interpretation services were more satisfied than those without (5.5 (SD)±1.4 vs 4.8 (SD)±1.6). Satisfaction was influenced by five main factors (relationship with health workers, patient management, alignment of health concepts, personal expectations, health outcome of the patient) which were modulated by communication. Of all LLP-caregivers without professional interpretation, 44.9% were satisfied with communication due to low expectations regarding the quality of communication, unawareness of the availability of professional interpretation and overestimation of own language skills, resulting in low self-advocacy.Conclusion The use of professional interpreters had a positive impact on the overall satisfaction of LLP-caregivers with emergency care. LLP-caregivers were not well—positioned to advocate for language interpretation. Healthcare providers must be aware of their responsibility to guarantee good-quality communication to ensure equitable quality of care and patient safety.
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spelling doaj-art-e2c792e028034ff78d602f4b76caa7a22025-08-20T03:12:35ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552024-01-0114110.1136/bmjopen-2023-077716Caregivers with limited language proficiency and their satisfaction with paediatric emergency care related to the use of professional interpreters: a mixed methods studyJulia Brandenberger0Kristina Keitel1Jabeen Fayyaz2Myriam Gmünder3Noemi Gessler4Sina Buser5Ursula Feuz6Anne Jachmann7Division of Paediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Paediatrics, Inselspital University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, SwitzerlandDivision of Paediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Paediatrics, Inselspital University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, SwitzerlandEmergency Department, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaDivision of Paediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Paediatrics, Inselspital University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, SwitzerlandDivision of Paediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Paediatrics, Inselspital University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, SwitzerlandDivision of Paediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Paediatrics, Inselspital University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, SwitzerlandDivision of Paediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Paediatrics, Inselspital University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, SwitzerlandDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, SwitzerlandObjectives Communication is a main challenge in migrant health and essential for patient safety. The aim of this study was to describe the satisfaction of caregivers with limited language proficiency (LLP) with care related to the use of interpreters and to explore underlying and interacting factors influencing satisfaction and self-advocacy.Design A mixed-methods study.Setting Paediatric emergency department (PED) at a tertiary care hospital in Bern, Switzerland.Participants and methods Caregivers visiting the PED were systematically screened for their language proficiency. Semistructured interviews were conducted with all LLP-caregivers agreeing to participate and their administrative data were extracted.Results The study included 181 caregivers, 14 of whom received professional language interpretation. Caregivers who were assisted by professional interpretation services were more satisfied than those without (5.5 (SD)±1.4 vs 4.8 (SD)±1.6). Satisfaction was influenced by five main factors (relationship with health workers, patient management, alignment of health concepts, personal expectations, health outcome of the patient) which were modulated by communication. Of all LLP-caregivers without professional interpretation, 44.9% were satisfied with communication due to low expectations regarding the quality of communication, unawareness of the availability of professional interpretation and overestimation of own language skills, resulting in low self-advocacy.Conclusion The use of professional interpreters had a positive impact on the overall satisfaction of LLP-caregivers with emergency care. LLP-caregivers were not well—positioned to advocate for language interpretation. Healthcare providers must be aware of their responsibility to guarantee good-quality communication to ensure equitable quality of care and patient safety.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/14/1/e077716.full
spellingShingle Julia Brandenberger
Kristina Keitel
Jabeen Fayyaz
Myriam Gmünder
Noemi Gessler
Sina Buser
Ursula Feuz
Anne Jachmann
Caregivers with limited language proficiency and their satisfaction with paediatric emergency care related to the use of professional interpreters: a mixed methods study
BMJ Open
title Caregivers with limited language proficiency and their satisfaction with paediatric emergency care related to the use of professional interpreters: a mixed methods study
title_full Caregivers with limited language proficiency and their satisfaction with paediatric emergency care related to the use of professional interpreters: a mixed methods study
title_fullStr Caregivers with limited language proficiency and their satisfaction with paediatric emergency care related to the use of professional interpreters: a mixed methods study
title_full_unstemmed Caregivers with limited language proficiency and their satisfaction with paediatric emergency care related to the use of professional interpreters: a mixed methods study
title_short Caregivers with limited language proficiency and their satisfaction with paediatric emergency care related to the use of professional interpreters: a mixed methods study
title_sort caregivers with limited language proficiency and their satisfaction with paediatric emergency care related to the use of professional interpreters a mixed methods study
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/14/1/e077716.full
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