Postdischarge Outcomes and Health Care Utilization Among Hispanic/Latinx Injury Survivors: English-language...

Area of Science:

• Trauma surgery
• Health services research
• Health equity

Background:

• Racial and ethnic disparities exist in post-injury healthcare utilization and outcomes.
• The specific impact of English language proficiency on these disparities is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare post-discharge outcomes and healthcare utilization among English-speaking non-Hispanic White (NHW), English-speaking Hispanic/Latinx (ESHL), and Spanish-speaking Hispanic/Latinx (SSHL) trauma survivors.
• To investigate the role of English language proficiency in healthcare disparities after traumatic injury.

Main Methods:

• Adults with moderate to severe injuries from three trauma centers were interviewed 6-12 months post-injury.
• Language of interview (English or Spanish) served as a proxy for English language proficiency.
• Outcomes assessed included quality of life (SF-12-PCS), return to work, and healthcare utilization; multivariable regression analyzed associations.

Main Results:

• Of 3,304 survivors, 90% were NHW, 6% ESHL, and 4% SSHL.
• ESHL survivors showed no significant differences compared to NHW survivors.
• SSHL survivors had worse quality of life, lower return to work rates, and reduced outpatient visits compared to NHW survivors.

Conclusions:

• Hispanic/Latinx trauma survivors with limited English proficiency experience poorer post-discharge outcomes and lower healthcare utilization.
• Mitigating disparities requires addressing language barriers to improve care for Hispanic/Latinx trauma survivors.