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How Should Clinicians Respond to Language Barriers That Exacerbate Health Inequity?
Jason Espinoza1, Sabrina Derrington2
1Assistant professor of clinical pediatrics (critical care) at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis.
Abstract:
Patients and families with limited English proficiency (LEP) face barriers to health care service access, experience lower quality care, and suffer worse health outcomes. LEP is an independent driver of health disparities and exacerbates other social determinants of health. Disparities due to language are particularly unjust because LEP is morally irrelevant and a source of unfair, unnecessary disadvantage. Clinicians and health care organizations have duties to intervene, which this article describes.
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