title: Medical interpretation for immigrant workers.
abstract: Foreign-born workers have high rates of occupational mortality and morbidity, despite downward trends for the U.S. workforce overall. They have limited access to health care services. Medical interpreters (MIs) facilitate care of acutely injured, low-English-proficiency (LEP) patients, including those sustaining occupational injuries. Our goal was to assess the potential for MIs to serve as advocates of LEP patients injured at work and to deliver preventive messages. We conducted interviews and a focus group of MIs regarding their attitudes toward foreign-born workers, knowledge of occupational health, and perceived roles. They were familiar with occupational injuries and sympathetic toward foreign-born workers, and they described their roles as conduits, cultural brokers, and advocates for hospitals, providers, and patients. More detailed and representative data would require a larger investigation. However, the time-sensitive nature of policy-making at this point mandates that occupational health stakeholders participate in the national dialogue on standards, training, and licensure for MIs to promote improved access and quality of health care for LEP patients who have been injured at work.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Forst
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Masters
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zanoni
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Avila
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chaidez
authors.forename: Arlene
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D003144:Communication Barriers; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D057220:Health Literacy; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014175:Translating; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology