Training and usage of language interpretation services among health care providers in a large Canadian pediatric centre.

Abstract

Objectives: Canada has a diverse population and one of the highest immigration rates in the world. Non-English or French language preference populations face barriers accessing health care, which leads to increased rates of adverse events. Adequate training of health care providers (HCPs) with language interpretation services (LIS) and having accessible LIS are crucial to improve the quality of patient care. We sought to identify HCPs' prior training, and use of and attitudes toward LIS in a Canadian tertiary pediatric centre.

Methods: An electronic survey was developed and distributed to a diverse group of pediatric HCPs at the Stollery Children's Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta between October 2022 and February 2023. Survey completion was anonymous and voluntary. Descriptive statistics were used for quantitative data and thematic analysis for free text responses.

Results: Three hundred forty-five HCPs accessed the survey and 281 (81%) completed it. Fifty-three percent of respondents encountered a pediatric non-English or French language preference patient/family once weekly or more and 51.5% reported no previous training in the use of LIS in patient care. In-person interpreters were perceived as the most effective LIS modality. Barriers to using LIS included: inability to access desired modality and/or language; insufficient time; and lack of comfort in effective usage.

Conclusions: HCPs perceive LIS as integral to patient care and convenient to use, yet most report no prior training. This study identifies multiple barriers to using LIS and suggested improvements include enhancing LIS accessibility, reliability, and LIS education. These results will help inform local LIS initiatives and resource allocation.