Influence of language barriers on outcomes of hospital care for general medicine inpatients
- 1 May 2010
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Wiley in Journal of Hospital Medicine
- Vol. 5 (5), 276-282
- https://doi.org/10.1002/jhm.658
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined whether patients with language barriers receive worse hospital care in terms of quality or efficiency. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether patients' primary language influences hospital outcomes. DESIGN AND SETTING: Observational cohort of urban university hospital general medical admissions between July 1, 2001 to June 30, 2003. PATIENTS: Eighteen years old or older whose hospital data included information on their primary language, specifically English, Russian, Spanish or Chinese. MEASUREMENTS: Hospital costs, length of stay (LOS), and odds for 30‐day readmission or 30‐day mortality. RESULTS: Of 7023 admitted patients, 84% spoke English, 8% spoke Chinese, 4% Russian and 4% Spanish. In multivariable models, non‐English and English speakers had statistically similar total cost, LOS, and odds for mortality. However, non‐English speakers had higher adjusted odds of readmission (odds ratio [OR], 1.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.0‐1.7). Higher odds for readmission persisted for Chinese and Spanish speakers when compared to all English speakers (OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.2‐2.3 and OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.0‐2.3 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: After accounting for socioeconomic variables and comorbidities, non‐English speaking Latino and Chinese patients have higher risk for readmission. Whether language barriers produce differences in readmission or are a marker for less access to post‐hospital care remains unclear. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2010;5:276–282. © 2010 Society of Hospital Medicine.Keywords
This publication has 27 references indexed in Scilit:
- Language proficiency and adverse events in US hospitals: a pilot studyInternational Journal for Quality in Health Care, 2007
- The effect of English language proficiency on length of stay and in-hospital mortalityJournal of General Internal Medicine, 2004
- Disparities in Health Care by Race, Ethnicity, and Language Among the InsuredMedical Care, 2002
- Drug complications in outpatientsJournal of General Internal Medicine, 2000
- Impact of language barriers on patient satisfaction in an emergency departmentJournal of General Internal Medicine, 1999
- Is language a barrier to the use of preventive services?Journal of General Internal Medicine, 1997
- Patient comprehension of doctor-patient communication on discharge from the emergency departmentThe Journal of Emergency Medicine, 1997
- Language of interview: relevance for research of southwest Hispanics.American Journal of Public Health, 1991
- The Effect of Physician-Patient Communication on Mammography Utilization by Different Ethnic GroupsMedical Care, 1991
- Language Concordance as a Determinant of Patient Compliance and Emergency Room Use in Patients with AsthmaMedical Care, 1988