title: Perspectives of Chuukese patients and their health care providers on the use of different sources of interpreters.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Immigrants from Chuuk, a Pacific Island nation in Micronesia, are a growing population of limited-English speakers in Hawai'i. The purpose of this study was to examine the perspectives of Chuukese patients and their physicians in Honolulu, Hawai'i on interpreter services.
  
  
  METHODS
  An anonymous multiple choice survey was distributed to potential patients through a Chuukese community group and to physicians through the Hawai'i Residency Programs to examine the following sources of interpreters: Family member or friend, telephone interpreter, or professional in-person interpreter. Statistical significance of cross-tabulated responses was analyzed using Fisher's exact test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  114 surveys from health care providers and 95 surveys from Chuukese community members were analyzed after exclusion criteria. Using a family member or friend was the method most frequently used by physicians (78%) and Chuukese patients (71%). Telephone interpreters were used the least by physicians (6%) and Chuukese patients (2%) and both rated it poorly in terms of comfort and ease of use. Physicians rated professional in-person interpreters as the best method (67%) while Chuukese patients rated using a family member or friend as the best method (61%), especially among those who reported a lower English proficiency (P = .04) and who lived in Hawai'i for fewer years (P > .01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The preference of Chuukese patients for using a family member or friend as interpreter differs from national standards which promote the use of a professional interpreter. Given the preference of both physicians and Chuukese patients for in-person interpreters over telephone interpreters, there is a need for increased training and hiring of in-person interpreters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Hawai'i John A Burns School of Medicine, Honolulu, HI, USA. karawong@hawaii.edu
authors.forename: Kara Wong
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Ramsey
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Gina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: French
mesh_terms: D003144:Communication Barriers; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D005006:Ethnicity; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends; D006254:Hawaii; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057240:Patient Preference; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014175:Translating
keywords: Chuukese; Micronesian; cross cultural care; language barrier; medical interpreters; professional interpreter; telephone interpreter; translator