Regan Freeman Rebecca
Denver Health Medical Center, Denver, Colorado.
J Am Assoc Nurse Pract. 2015 Mar;27(3):167-76. doi: 10.1002/2327-6924.12148. Epub 2014 Jul 17.
The number of persons in the United States who have a primary language other than English has been steadily increasing for decades. The latest census information reveals that citizens with limited English proficiency (LEP) represent approximately 16% of the population. The inability to effectively communicate creates stark challenges in the delivery and receipt of health care. Language discordance in the healthcare setting has been firmly established as a source for health disparities among LEP patients and families. Poorer health outcomes are seen across the healthcare setting for LEP patients and children of LEP parents.
Scientific literature review, scholarly databases, Internet sites.
There are various systems and methods that can be implemented in order to help improve health outcomes for LEP patients. There are benefits and challenges to each of the methods available for LEP patients and their providers. Improvements must be made on numerous levels including in clinical settings, in training curricula, and system wide.
The risks associated with decreased quality of communication between patient and provider merit an earnest consideration of the methods available for LEP patients and implementing some of these services for those patients.
数十年来，美国以英语以外的其他语言作为主要语言的人数一直在稳步增加。最新的人口普查信息显示，英语水平有限（LEP）的公民约占总人口的16%。无法有效沟通在医疗保健的提供和接受方面带来了严峻挑战。医疗环境中的语言不一致已被确认为LEP患者及其家庭健康差距的一个根源。在整个医疗环境中，LEP患者以及LEP父母的子女的健康结果较差。
科学文献综述、学术数据库、互联网网站。
可以实施各种系统和方法，以帮助改善LEP患者的健康结果。可供LEP患者及其医疗服务提供者使用的每种方法都有其优点和挑战。必须在多个层面进行改进，包括临床环境、培训课程以及全系统范围。
患者与医疗服务提供者之间沟通质量下降所带来的风险值得认真考虑可供LEP患者使用的方法，并为这些患者实施其中一些服务。
