Comprehension of therapy by non-English speaking hospital patients

A survey was made of 1,832 patients who attended the Outpatients' Pharmacy of The Royal Melbourne Hospital during a five-day period. We identified 280 patients who did not speak English as their native tongue; of these 257 (90%) answered a series of questions asked by a pharmacist. An interpreter was essential for communication with 73 of the 257, yet only 31 had been previously classified as requiring an interpreter. Sixty-five per cent of the sample had a good knowledge of drug doses, frequency and drug function. Of the remaining 90, 39 were uncertain of the correct dose, 38 could not state the function and 13 knew neither function nor dose. The proportion of poorly informed patients varied significantly between clinics. Although it is routine practice to place cautionary labels on medication containers, only 78% of the patients had knowledge of these special warnings. Many patients were accompanied by friends or children who spoke some English; however, their translations were sometimes inaccurate and misleading. To improve communication with non-English speaking patients, more trained interpreters should be available in the hospital.