A University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center researcher reported on Monday that children in U.S. households in which English is not the primary language are experiencing many health care inequities.

This was determined in a study available this month in the June issue of Pediatrics indicating that most children in non-English speaking homes are Latino and Asian/Pacific Islander. These children are likely to be overweight, have inadequate dental health, receive no preventive dental or medical care, and have difficulty obtaining any type of specialty care.

The author of the study, Dr. Flores recommends that hospitals, medical offices, and other health and dental care facilities supply access for these families to various medical interpreters in order to eliminate any barriers that now exist to health care solely due to language.

Most hospitals appear to be amenable to the idea, since health care representatives have indicated that interpreter services would benefit their institution. As Dr. Flores indicated, language is affecting health care availability for children on a nationwide scale; therefore, it is imperative that a change be implemented in the current system.

18 June 2008