Overcoming the language barrier: a novel curriculum for training medical students as volunteer medical interpreters.

Background: Over 41 million people in the United States speak Spanish as their primary language, of which 16 million have limited English proficiency (LEP). It is well-established that language barriers contribute to health disparities and that the use of ad-hoc interpretation by untrained family members results in substandard care. We developed a novel interpreter training program for medical students to serve as in-person interpreters at a charitable, resident continuity clinic so as to overcome the language barrier in the delivery of healthcare to LEP patients.

Use of a low-literacy written action plan to improve parent understanding of pediatric asthma management: A randomized controlled study.

Objectives: The objective of the study was to determine whether parents who use a low-literacy, pictogram- and photograph-based written asthma action plan (WAAP) have a better understanding of child asthma management compared to parents using a standard plan.

Methods: A randomized controlled study was carried out in 2 urban pediatric outpatient clinics. Inclusion criteria were English- and Spanish-speaking parents of 2- to 12-year-old asthmatic children.

A Low-Literacy Asthma Action Plan to Improve Provider Asthma Counseling: A Randomized Study.

Background And Objectives: The use of written asthma action plans (WAAPs) has been associated with reduced asthma-related morbidity, but there are concerns about their complexity. We developed a health literacy-informed, pictogram- and photograph-based WAAP and examined whether providers who used it, with no training, would have better asthma counseling quality compared with those who used a standard plan.

Methods: Physicians at 2 academic centers randomized to use a low-literacy or standard action plan (American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology) to counsel the hypothetical parent of child with moderate persistent asthma (regimen: Flovent 110 μg 2 puffs twice daily, Singulair 5 mg daily, Albuterol 2 puffs every 4 hours as needed).

Unit of measurement used and parent medication dosing errors.

Background And Objectives: Adopting the milliliter as the preferred unit of measurement has been suggested as a strategy to improve the clarity of medication instructions; teaspoon and tablespoon units may inadvertently endorse nonstandard kitchen spoon use. We examined the association between unit used and parent medication errors and whether nonstandard instruments mediate this relationship.

Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from a larger study of provider communication and medication errors.

Readability, suitability, and characteristics of asthma action plans: examination of factors that may impair understanding.

Objective: Recognition of the complexity of asthma management has led to the development of asthma treatment guidelines that include the recommendation that all pediatric asthma patients receive a written asthma action plan. We assessed the readability, suitability, and characteristics of asthma action plans, elements that contribute to the effectiveness of action plan use, particularly for those with limited literacy.

Methods: This was a descriptive study of 30 asthma action plans (27 state Department of Health (DOH)-endorsed, 3 national action plans endorsed by 6 states).