Impact of Language Barrier on Medication Adherence among Non-English-Speaking Patients.

Abstract

In a survey done by the United Kingdom office for National Statistics, in Lower tier area of Wales and England local authorities shows that out of 1986 people, 331 could not speak English or Welsh at all and 330 were considered “non-native, low proficiency” [1]. According to Census data of the United States in 2000, 18% of residents of 5 years spoke a foreign language, Forty-seven million people spoke a foreign language, of those 28.1% are Spanish speakers and 13.8% are low-proficiency Spanish speakers and among 21.4% of speakers speaking lower than “very well” came from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Cuba, and Haiti. Cuban and Haitian immigrants came through the Cuban-Haitian Entrant Program (CHEP) to cities across Florida, Texas, California, and the American Northeast [2]. In the United States, people identified with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) have delays in getting treatment, excessive ineffective follow up check-ups, and overall, a not an effective treatment plan. Part of the Civil Rights Act prohibits mistreatment based on English proficiency [3], 45 CFR Part 92 published by the Department of Health and Human Services implements Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act prohibits discrimination in healthcare by race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability [4]. Most studies demonstrate the language interpreters improve satisfaction from care provided for both parties. However, barriers in language have delayed over-the-counter medicine, emergency care, made it harder to control substance abuse, cancer treatment, among others