Impact of Strict Isolation Precautions on Families with a Language Other than English

Introduction: Children with a language for care other than English (LOE) are at risk for inequitable care. We examined the association of isolation precautions in the care of hospitalized children with LOE through the frequency of professional interpreter use and timing of in-person consultation. Me...

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Main Authors: Polina Frolova Gregory, Sanyukta Desai, Corrie E. McDaniel, Austin DeChalus, Emily Bowen, Michael Dinh, Jessica Gagen, Dwight Barry, Abena Knight, Matthew Test, Arti D. Desai, Mersine A. Bryan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Mary Ann Liebert 2025-02-01
Series:Health Equity
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Online Access:https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/heq.2024.0117
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author Polina Frolova Gregory
Sanyukta Desai
Corrie E. McDaniel
Austin DeChalus
Emily Bowen
Michael Dinh
Jessica Gagen
Dwight Barry
Abena Knight
Matthew Test
Arti D. Desai
Mersine A. Bryan
author_facet Polina Frolova Gregory
Sanyukta Desai
Corrie E. McDaniel
Austin DeChalus
Emily Bowen
Michael Dinh
Jessica Gagen
Dwight Barry
Abena Knight
Matthew Test
Arti D. Desai
Mersine A. Bryan
author_sort Polina Frolova Gregory
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Children with a language for care other than English (LOE) are at risk for inequitable care. We examined the association of isolation precautions in the care of hospitalized children with LOE through the frequency of professional interpreter use and timing of in-person consultation. Methods: Retrospective cohort study of children in a strict isolation unit (SIU) between 2/2020 and 12/2021. Negative binomial regression was used to assess both differences in interpretation rates between SIU and non-SIU, and within 72-h/in-person consultation rates within the SIU between English-speaking and LOE encounters. Results: We identified 487 encounters in the SIU; 126 (26%) involved patients with LOE. The median interpretations per day were 4.5 (Interquartile Range [IQR]: 2.0–6.7). Among patients with LOE, there was an observed difference in median interpretations per day in the SIU (3.9, IQR: 1.7–6.4) versus encounters in non-SIU acute care units (5.0, IQR: 1.2–8.2). However, this difference was not statistically significant (Incidence Rate Ratio [IRR]: 0.89; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.70–1.13). Sub-specialty consultations were requested for 410 (84%) encounters within the SIU; 282 (69%) were completed in person within 72 h. A small difference between the percentage of completed consultations for encounters with LOE (n = 61, 64%) and English-speaking patients’ encounters (n = 221, 70%) was noted, which again was not statistically significant (IRR: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.71–1.21). Conclusion: Despite the increased barriers of strict isolation, we exceeded institutional standards for interpretations per day and had similar rates of interpretation for encounters with LOE admitted to medical units regardless of isolation status.
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spelling doaj-art-e08cba0719c64fd28688d49fd73b83a82025-08-20T02:30:30ZengMary Ann LiebertHealth Equity2473-12422025-02-019110010510.1089/heq.2024.0117Impact of Strict Isolation Precautions on Families with a Language Other than EnglishPolina Frolova Gregory0Sanyukta Desai1Corrie E. McDaniel2Austin DeChalus3Emily Bowen4Michael Dinh5Jessica Gagen6Dwight Barry7Abena Knight8Matthew Test9Arti D. Desai10Mersine A. Bryan11Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA.The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Austin, Texas, USA.Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA.Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA.University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA.University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA.Department of Clinical Analytics, Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle, Washington, USA.Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA.Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA.Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA.Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA.Introduction: Children with a language for care other than English (LOE) are at risk for inequitable care. We examined the association of isolation precautions in the care of hospitalized children with LOE through the frequency of professional interpreter use and timing of in-person consultation. Methods: Retrospective cohort study of children in a strict isolation unit (SIU) between 2/2020 and 12/2021. Negative binomial regression was used to assess both differences in interpretation rates between SIU and non-SIU, and within 72-h/in-person consultation rates within the SIU between English-speaking and LOE encounters. Results: We identified 487 encounters in the SIU; 126 (26%) involved patients with LOE. The median interpretations per day were 4.5 (Interquartile Range [IQR]: 2.0–6.7). Among patients with LOE, there was an observed difference in median interpretations per day in the SIU (3.9, IQR: 1.7–6.4) versus encounters in non-SIU acute care units (5.0, IQR: 1.2–8.2). However, this difference was not statistically significant (Incidence Rate Ratio [IRR]: 0.89; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.70–1.13). Sub-specialty consultations were requested for 410 (84%) encounters within the SIU; 282 (69%) were completed in person within 72 h. A small difference between the percentage of completed consultations for encounters with LOE (n = 61, 64%) and English-speaking patients’ encounters (n = 221, 70%) was noted, which again was not statistically significant (IRR: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.71–1.21). Conclusion: Despite the increased barriers of strict isolation, we exceeded institutional standards for interpretations per day and had similar rates of interpretation for encounters with LOE admitted to medical units regardless of isolation status.https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/heq.2024.0117interpreter useisolation precautionsLOE
spellingShingle Polina Frolova Gregory
Sanyukta Desai
Corrie E. McDaniel
Austin DeChalus
Emily Bowen
Michael Dinh
Jessica Gagen
Dwight Barry
Abena Knight
Matthew Test
Arti D. Desai
Mersine A. Bryan
Impact of Strict Isolation Precautions on Families with a Language Other than English
Health Equity
interpreter use
isolation precautions
LOE
title Impact of Strict Isolation Precautions on Families with a Language Other than English
title_full Impact of Strict Isolation Precautions on Families with a Language Other than English
title_fullStr Impact of Strict Isolation Precautions on Families with a Language Other than English
title_full_unstemmed Impact of Strict Isolation Precautions on Families with a Language Other than English
title_short Impact of Strict Isolation Precautions on Families with a Language Other than English
title_sort impact of strict isolation precautions on families with a language other than english
topic interpreter use
isolation precautions
LOE
url https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/heq.2024.0117
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