Language barriers in mental healthcare: A critical analysis.

Abstract

In multicultural healthcare settings, language barriers pose significant challenges, particularly in mental health where nuanced communication is vital. This manuscript examines the impact of limited English proficiency (LEP) on mental healthcare in New Zealand, where a substantial portion of the population and healthcare workforce are foreign-born. Despite official recommendations, professional interpreter use remains low, compromising care quality for LEP patients. The paper explores interpreters' roles beyond interpretation, including cultural mediation, while noting limitations in interpreter-mediated consultations. It also addresses communication difficulties arising from strong accents and dialects, even when a common language is shared. Multifaceted strategies to improve communication are proposed, including enhanced cultural competency training, patient-centered protocols, and language matching in healthcare teams. Emphasizing a polycultural approach, the manuscript advocates for comprehensive interventions addressing linguistic, cultural, and cognitive aspects of communication in mental healthcare. It calls for further research and policy changes to integrate language access and cultural competency into healthcare quality assessments, aiming to reduce disparities and improve outcomes for diverse patient populations.