ABSTRACT
Patients with limited-English-profi ciency (LEP) often experience inequality in health services and poor health outcomes. Researchers have noted that when language barriers exist in provider-patient communication (i.e., when compared to English-speaking patients), a patient is likely to receive more diagnostic testing (Hampers, Cha, Gutglass, Binns, & Krug, 1999; Waxman & Levitt, 2000); is less likely to receive preventive care (Woloshin, Schwartz, Katz, & Welch, 1997) and follow-up appointments after an emergency department visit (Sarver & Baker, 2000); is less likely to understand health care providers’ instructions (Doty, 2003; Gerrish, 2001); and is less satisfi ed with the quality of care (David & Rhee, 1998). Their fi ndings suggest the urgent need to develop effective interventions to improve the quality of health care services received by patients with LEP, one of which is to provide interpreters in health care settings (Allen, 2000; Jones & Gill, 1998).
