Strategies for strengthening communication with Spanish-speaking families of children with medical complexity: tips for health care professionals from a parent mentor

Strategies for strengthening communication with Spanish-speaking families of children with medical complexity: tips for health care professionals from a parent mentor

Collection:
Health Policy and Services Research
Series Title(s):
Fact sheet (Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health)
Author(s):
Rivera, Ali, author
Contributor(s):
Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health, issuing body.
Publication:
[Palo Alto, CA] : Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health, August 2022
Language(s):
English
Format:
Text
Subject(s):
Communication Barriers
Health Communication
Hispanic or Latino
Professional-Family Relations
United States
Genre(s):
Technical Report
Abstract:
Clear communication between families and health care providers is essential to the delivery of high-quality care for children with medical complexity (CMC). Miscommunication can lead to inequity in care, treatment, and resources, especially for CMC from families of color. A 2018 study in JAMA Pediatrics concluded that hospitalized children of parents with limited English proficiency are at higher risk for adverse events than children of English-proficient parents. Additional research centered on the cultural and language barriers for Spanish-speaking families of CMC suggests that bilingual care coordinators can help improve communication. At the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford, Marsha Perez provides bilingual support as a parent mentor for Spanish-speaking families in CORE, the hospital’s care coordination program for CMC and their families. She was motivated to join the CORE team after her child received a kidney transplant at age 15 at the hospital. Now she teaches families how to manage their child’s care and helps them realize how much their voice matters in their child’s treatment. Here are her key strategies for health care professionals on how best to communicate with Spanish-speaking families: (1) Never assume that because families can speak a little English, they don’t need an interpreter. (2) Ask whether they’re able to read or write in Spanish. (3) Don’t assume everyone thinks the same way or has grown up using the same health care system. Be very specific in your instructions and have families repeat what is supposed to happen. (4) Bridge the cultural barrier by building a trusting relationship with Spanish-speaking families and encouraging them to speak up and ask questions, so that they learn to understand that they are a crucial part of their child’s care team. (5) Finally, be patient and try to understand things from their perspective.
Copyright:
Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. Further use of the material is subject to CC BY license. (More information)
Extent:
1 online resource (1 PDF file (2 pages)).
NLM Unique ID:
9918487356906676 (See catalog record)
Permanent Link:
http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/9918487356906676