Comparing healthcare needs by language: interpreted Arabic and Somali telehealth calls in two regions of Sweden, 2014-18.

BACKGROUND

Limited language fluency can impede healthcare system navigation. In Sweden, the national telehealth line (Healthcare Guide 1177) offers interpretation in Arabic and Somali. We compared calls by language to identify differences in healthcare use for immigrant populations, focusing on three contact causes: pregnancy; vomiting or nausea in children; and worry/anxiety.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 3.9 million (n = 18 351 Arabic, n = 7199 Somali) telehealth calls (2014-18). Using multivariable logistic regression, we investigated associations between language of the call (Arabic, Somali, non-interpreted) and each contact cause. Potential confounders (age, region, year, and additionally for vomiting or nausea, month) and an interaction between age and language were considered.

RESULTS

Compared with non-interpreted calls, interpreted calls were associated with increased odds of being for pregnancy, especially for 19 to 29-year-olds [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) (95% CI) = 4.04 (3.66-4.46) and 4.60 (4.05-5.23), for Arabic and Somali calls, respectively]. Vomiting or nausea showed similar results, with aOR increasing with age: from 0.90 (0.75-1.07) (Arabic, <1 year) to 3.79 (2.86-5.01) (Somali, 5-9 years). In contrast, in unadjusted analyses, Arabic and Somali calls were associated with decreased odds of being for worry/anxiety [OR = 0.47 (0.38-0.58) and 0.34 (0.21-0.50)], respectively, compared with non-interpreted calls.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest callers to the interpreted lines may need additional assistance navigating the healthcare system for pregnancy and for vomiting or nausea among children. These findings can inform healthcare services planning for immigrants to Sweden and highlight a novel use of telehealth data as a way to uncover disparities in healthcare use within a multi-linguistic population.