350 - Trust, Belonging and Understanding - The Experiences of Families who use Languages other than English (LOE) that are Hospitalized on General Pediatric Inpatient Units.

Poster Number: 350
Publication Number: 350.1984

Background: Patients who use a language(s) other than English (LOE) for healthcare communication are at increased risk for experiencing adverse events and worse health outcomes in healthcare settings, including in pediatric hospitals. Our research aims to generate knowledge to improve health outcomes for children and their families who speak LOE.

Objective: Specific of this project (1) To understand the lived experience of families who speak LOE around the hospitalization of their child and (2) To understand the perspectives of patients and families who speak LOE on how the healthcare system can improve care during hospitalization.

Design/Methods: The premise of this study is participatory research. We designed a qualitative study involving children hospitalized in the General Pediatric Inpatient Unit at a Canadian children’s hospital. The study includes family caregivers of children age 0 to 18 years who identify as speaking LOE. We conducted semi-structured virtual individual interviews with children and families post-discharge with a medical interpreter. An interview guide was developed and transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results: 19 families participated in the interviews. 16 different languages were represented amongst our participant groups. Our analysis of the interviews identify several themes that provide insight into the lived experience of patients and families who use LOE for healthcare communication. 1) Inconsistent interpreter use affects communication “in the moment” and the ability to develop an “overall understanding” of the current clinical situation and broader healthcare context. 2) In addition to language, multiple additional social factors contribute to an increased sense of vulnerability and modulates how families“trust” the healthcare system. 3) Despite families expressing positive experiences, they noted that they did not, nor expect to feel like they “belonged” within the healthcare system.

Conclusion(s): Our conversations noted the importance of interpreter use for families to feel informed during hospitalization. Families described positive experiences in hospital but also revealed that they did not expect to feel welcomed and did not feel that they belonged within the hospital setting. Families described a complex interplay of factors that affected them while in hospital which resultantly revealed vulnerabilities and the feeling that they had to “trust” the system. Our research builds on the current body of literature highlighting experiences of families who speak LOE and serves to advance our efforts to address health inequities experienced by this population.