Teaching colloquial Australian English to medical students from non-English speaking backgrounds.

PubMed

Chur-Hansen, A; Barrett, R J

1996-11-01

Lack of fluency in the language of instruction can form a barrier to medical education. There has been an effort within Australian universities to teach English to students from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB), but little systematic attention has been given to the teaching of informal or colloquial English. This paper provides evidence that colloquial language is a pervasive and important aspect of doctor-patient communication. It describes a teaching project for NESB medical students which aimed to introduce them to colloquial English, and to provide them with a contextual approach to learning this form of language. Forty-four first year medical students enrolled at the University of Adelaide were required to gather examples of colloquial language by interviewing a native English speaker. Ninety-four examples of colloquial sayings were recorded. These were compiled in the form of a handbook which served as a student resource. Student evaluation of this exercise was positive. The benefits of an interactive method of teaching local and setting-specific language are discussed, and the implications of this approach for clinical teaching and for medical practice are explored.

An exploration of the enablers and barriers in access to the Dutch healthcare system among Ghanaians in Amsterdam

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Sub-Saharan African populations are growing in many European countries. Data on the health of these populations are rare. Additionally, many sub-Saharan African migrants are confronted with issues of low socio-economic status, acculturation and language difficulties, which may hamper their access to health care. Despite the identification of some of those barriers, little is known about the enabling factors. Knowledge about the enablers and barriers in access to healthcare experienced is important in addressing their health needs and promoting healthcare access. This study aimed to investigate the enabling factors as well as barriers in access to the Dutch healthcare system among the largest sub-Saharan African migrant group (Ghanaians) living in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Methods Six focus groups were conducted from November 2009 to February 2010. A semi-structured interview guideline was used. Discussions were conducted in English or Twi (Ghanaian dialect), recorded and transcribed verbatim. Analysis was based on the Andersen model of healthcare utilisation using MAXQDA software. Results Knowledge and perceived quality of the health system, awareness of diseases, family and community support, community initiatives and availability of social support were the main enablers to the healthcare system. Difficulties with the Dutch language and mistrust in health care providers were major barriers in access to healthcare. Conclusions Access to healthcare is facilitated mainly by knowledge of and the perceived efficiency and quality of the Dutch healthcare system. However, poor Dutch language proficiency and mistrust in health care providers appear to be important barriers in accessing healthcare. The enablers and barriers identified by this study provide useful information for promoting healthcare access among this and similar Sub-Saharan African communities. PMID:22443162

How Schools Can Promote Healthy Development for Newly Arrived Immigrant and Refugee Adolescents: Research Priorities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNeely, Clea A.; Morland, Lyn; Doty, S. Benjamin; Meschke, Laurie L.; Awad, Summer; Husain, Altaf; Nashwan, Ayat

2017-01-01

Background: The US education system must find creative and effective ways to foster the healthy development of the approximately 2 million newly arrived immigrant and refugee adolescents, many of whom contend with language barriers, limited prior education, trauma, and discrimination. We identify research priorities for promoting the school…

Language barriers and professional identity: A qualitative interview study of newly employed international medical doctors and Norwegian colleagues.

PubMed

Skjeggestad, Erik; Gerwing, Jennifer; Gulbrandsen, Pål

2017-08-01

To explore how language barriers influence communication and collaboration between newly-employed international medical doctors and Norwegian health personnel. Interviews were conducted with 16 doctors who had recently started working in Norway and 12 Norwegian born health personnel who had extensive experience working with international medical doctors. Analyses were consistent with principles of systematic text condensation. All participants experienced that language barriers caused difficulties in their everyday collaboration. Furthermore, the participants' descriptions of "language barriers" encompassed a wide range of topics, including semantics (e.g., specialized professional vocabulary, system knowledge), pragmatics (e.g., using language in doctor-patient and interprofessional interactions), and specific culturally sensitive topics. All participants described that language barriers provoked uncertainty about a doctor's competence. Newly employed international medical doctors and their colleagues are concerned by ineffective communication due to language barriers. Experiences of language barriers threaten professional identity as a competent and effective doctor. Newly employed doctors who are non-native speakers could benefit from support in understanding and handling the array of barriers related to language. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Factors influencing speech and language outcomes of children with early identified severe/profound hearing loss: Clinician-identified facilitators and barriers.

PubMed

Fulcher, Anne Nivelles; Purcell, Alison; Baker, Elise; Munro, Natalie

2015-06-01

Early identification of severe/profound childhood hearing loss (HL) gives these children access to hearing devices and early intervention to facilitate improved speech and language outcomes. Predicting which infants will go on to achieve such outcomes remains difficult. This study describes clinician identified malleable and non-malleable factors that may influence speech and language outcomes for children with severe/profound HL. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six experienced auditory verbal clinicians. A collective case study design was implemented. The interviews were transcribed and coded into themes using constant comparative analysis. Clinicians identified that, for children with severe/profound HL, early identification, early amplification and commencing auditory-verbal intervention under 6 months of age may facilitate child progress. Possible barriers were living in rural/remote areas, the clinicians' lack of experience and confidence in providing intervention for infants under age 6-months and belonging to a family with a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) background. The results indicate that multiple factors need to be considered by clinicians working with children with HL and their families to determine how each child functions within their own environment and personal contexts, consistent with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework. Such an approach is likely to empower clinicians to carefully balance potential barriers to, and facilitators of, optimal speech and language outcomes for all children with HL.

The Need for More Research on Language Barriers in Health Care: A Proposed Research Agenda

PubMed Central

Jacobs, Elizabeth; Chen, Alice HM; Karliner, Leah S; Agger-Gupta, Niels; Mutha, Sunita

2006-01-01

Many U.S. residents who speak little English may face language barriers when seeking health care. This article describes what is currently known about language barriers in health care and outlines a research agenda based on mismatches between the current state of knowledge of language barriers and what health care stakeholders need to know. Three broad areas needing more research are discussed: the ways in which language barriers affect health and health care, the efficacy of linguistic access service interventions, and the costs of language barriers and efforts to overcome them. In each of these areas, we outline specific research questions and recommendations. PMID:16529570

Barriers Accessing Mental Health Services Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Immigrant Women in Australia: Policy Implications.

PubMed

Wohler, Yvonne; Dantas, Jaya Ar

2017-06-01

Immigrant and refugee women from diverse ethnic backgrounds encounter multiple barriers in accessing mental healthcare in various settings. A systematic review on the prevalence of mental health disorders among culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) women in Australia documented the following barriers: logistical, language and communication, dissonance between participants and care providers and preference for alternative interventions. This article proposes recommendations for policies to better address the mental health needs of immigrant and refugee women. Key policy recommendations include: support for gender specific research, implementation and evaluation of transcultural policies, cultural responsiveness in service delivery, review of immigration and refugee claims policies and social integration of immigrants.

Barrier-free communication in maternity care of allophone migrants: BRIDGE study protocol.

PubMed

Origlia Ikhilor, Paola; Hasenberg, Gabriele; Kurth, Elisabeth; Stocker Kalberer, Barbara; Cignacco, Eva; Pehlke-Milde, Jessica

2018-02-01

To describe communication and access barriers encountered by allophone women of different migration backgrounds in the Swiss maternity care services, from the perspective of users, healthcare professionals and intercultural interpreters. In addition to the challenges of maternal adjustment, pregnant migrant women must also deal with an unfamiliar health service system. Some must overcome language barriers and the stress of uncertain residence status. Limited access to maternity care increases perinatal morbidity and mortality. Almost 10% of foreigners speak none of Switzerland's official languages. Factors that facilitate or hinder communication between migrant women and perinatal healthcare professionals are under-studied and must be understood if we are to overcome those barriers in clinical practice. Qualitative exploratory study with quantitative sub-study. Participants will be drawn from German to speaking regions of Switzerland. We will conduct focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews with users in their own language (Albanian and Tigrinya) and with healthcare professionals and intercultural interpreters (March-June 2016), then perform Thematic Analysis on the data. In the sub-study, midwives will report their experience of using a telephone interpreting service during postnatal home visits in a questionnaire (October 2013-March 2016). Data will be analysed with descriptive statistics. Our study will reveal patterns in communications between allophone migrant women and healthcare providers and communication barriers. By incorporating multiple perspectives, we will describe the challenges all parties face. Our results will inform those who draft recommendations to improve provision of maternity care to allophone women and their families. ClinicalTrials.gov ID: BernUAS NCT02695316. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

What Works for Latino/Hispanic Children and Adolescents: Lessons from Experimental Evaluations of Programs and Interventions. Fact Sheet. Publication #2011-05

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bandy, Tawana; Moore, Kristin A.

2011-01-01

Children and adolescents of Latino/Hispanic background often face challenges that differ from other subpopulations in the United States. Language barriers, issues related to parental citizenship status, and the economic disadvantages often faced by these children and adolescents can result in various negative outcomes, such as depression,…

He Will Lift Up His Head: A Report to the Developmental Disabilities Office on the Situation of Handicapped Navajos and the Implications Thereof for All Native Americans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haskins, James S.; Stifle, J. M.

Issues involved in education of handicapped Navajo children are examined. Background sections contrast the history of treatment for the handicapped in America with the treatment received by handicapped Navajos. Unemployment, substandard housing, lack of accessibility within the reservation, overpopulation, language barriers, and the relationship…

Changes in research on language barriers in health care since 2003: A cross-sectional review study.

PubMed

Schwei, Rebecca J; Del Pozo, Sam; Agger-Gupta, Niels; Alvarado-Little, Wilma; Bagchi, Ann; Chen, Alice Hm; Diamond, Lisa; Gany, Francesca; Wong, Doreena; Jacobs, Elizabeth A

2016-02-01

Understanding how to mitigate language barriers is becoming increasingly important for health care providers around the world. Language barriers adversely affect patients in their access to health services; comprehension and adherence; quality of care; and patient and provider satisfaction. In 2003, the United States (US) government made a major change in national policy guidance that significantly affected limited English proficient patients' ability to access language services. The objectives of this paper are to describe the state of the language barriers literature inside and outside the US since 2003 and to compare the research that was conducted before and after a national policy change occurred in the US. We hypothesize that language barrier research would increase inside and outside the US but that the increase in research would be larger inside the US in response to this national policy change. We reviewed the research literature on language barriers in health care and conducted a cross sectional analysis by tabulating frequencies for geographic location, language group, methodology, research focus and specialty and compared the literature before and after 2003. Our sample included 136 studies prior to 2003 and 426 studies from 2003 to 2010. In the 2003-2010 time period there was a new interest in studying the providers' perspective instead of or in addition to the patients' perspective. The methods remained similar between periods with greater than 60% of studies being descriptive and 12% being interventions. There was an increase in research on language barriers inside and outside the US and we believe this was larger due to the change in the national policy. We suggest that researchers worldwide should move away from simply documenting the existence of language barriers and should begin to focus their research on documenting how language concordant care influences patient outcomes, providing evidence for interventions that mitigate language barriers, and evaluating the cost effectiveness of providing language concordant care to patients with language barriers. We think this is possible if funding agencies around the world begin to request proposals for these types of research studies. Together, we can begin document meaningful ways to provide high quality health care to patients with language barriers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Is There a Foreign Language Barrier in Engineering Research?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawks, Carla; And Others

Perception and effects of foreign language publications in engineering research are examined. Through the use of both survey and archival sources, including coverage in major scientific and technical databases as vended by DIALOG, various aspects of the foreign language barrier were measured. A foreign language barrier is said to exist when…

Knowledge and Attitudes of Allied Health Professional Students regarding the Stroke Rehabilitation Team and the Role of the Speech and Language Therapist

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byrne, Aine; Pettigrew, Catharine M.

2010-01-01

Background: One of the major barriers to effective team working among healthcare professionals is a lack of knowledge of each other's roles. The importance of understanding Irish healthcare students' attitudes towards team working and each other's roles led to the development of this study. Aims: The aims were to investigate allied health…

The Role of the Speech-Language Pathologist in Creating a Model for Interprofessional Practice in an Ambulatory Care Clinic.

PubMed

Robinson, Tommie L; Anderson, Debra; Long, Sahira

2018-02-01

There is a need to better coordinate services for children in urban settings who are at risk for communication disorders. This article addresses the barriers to obtaining services and discusses the process for creating a model for interprofessional practice to better serve patients from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Recognizing the Effects of Comprehension Language Barriers and Adaptability Cultural Barriers on Selected First-Generation Undergraduate Vietnamese Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phan, Christian Phuoc-Lanh

2009-01-01

This investigation is about recognizing the effects of comprehension language barriers and adaptability cultural barriers on selected first-generation Vietnamese undergraduate students in the Puget Sound region of Washington State. Most Vietnamese students know little or no English before immigrating to the United States; as such, language and…

El problema de la barrera linguistica en el desarrollo cientifico y tecnologico (The Problem of the Language Barrier in Scientific and Technological Development).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zierer, Ernesto

This monograph discusses the problem of the language barrier in scientific and technological development in terms of several parameters describing the flow of scientific information from one language to another. The numerical values of the language barrier parameters of the model are calculated in the field of information on second language…

Open access for the non-English-speaking world: overcoming the language barrier

PubMed Central

Fung, Isaac CH

2008-01-01

This editorial highlights the problem of language barrier in scientific communication in spite of the recent success of Open Access Movement. Four options for English-language journals to overcome the language barrier are suggested: 1) abstracts in alternative languages provided by authors, 2) Wiki open translation, 3) international board of translator-editors, and 4) alternative language version of the journal. The Emerging Themes in Epidemiology announces that with immediate effect, it will accept translations of abstracts or full texts by authors as Additional files. Editorial note: In an effort towards overcoming the language barrier in scientific publication, ETE will accept translations of abstracts or the full text of published articles. Each translation should be submitted separately as an Additional File in PDF format. ETE will only peer review English-language versions. Therefore, translations will not be scrutinized in the review-process and the responsibility for accurate translation rests with the authors. PMID:18173854

Patient Perspectives on Language Discordance During Healthcare Visits: Findings From the Extremely High-Density Multicultural State of Qatar.

PubMed

Abdelrahim, Huda; Elnashar, Maha; Khidir, Amal; Killawi, Amal; Hammoud, Maya; Al-Khal, Abdul Latif; Fetters, Michael D

2017-04-01

Reducing language and cultural barriers in healthcare are significant factors in resolving health disparities. Qatar's rapidly growing multicultural population presents new challenges to the healthcare system. The purpose of this research was to explore patients' perspectives about language discordance, and the strategies used to overcome language barriers during patients' visits. Participants were recruited and interviewed from four language groups (Arabic = 24, English = 20, Hindi = 20, and Urdu = 20), all of whom were living in Qatar and utilizing Hamad General Hospital-Outpatient Clinics as a source of their healthcare services. Using qualitative analysis procedures, relevant themes and codes were generated and data analyzed using Atlas-ti. As for results, most participants had experienced or witnessed language barriers during their outpatient clinics visits. Participants essentially were unfamiliar with professional medical interpreters and described their adaptive solutions, for example utilizing incidental interpreters, stringing together fragments of multiple languages, and using body language. Those not speaking mainstream languages of Hamad General Hospital (English and Arabic) were more vulnerable to health disparities due to language barriers. Despite the patient impetus to do something, patient-reported adaptive strategies could compromise patients' safety and access to quality healthcare. Polices tackling the language barrier need to be reviewed in Qatar's multicultural healthcare system and similar settings.

Overcoming Terminology Barrier Using Web Resources for Cross-Language Medical Information Retrieval

PubMed Central

Lu, Wen-Hsiang; Lin, Ray Shih-Jui; Chan, Yi-Che; Chen, Kuan-Hsi

2006-01-01

A number of authoritative medical websites, such as PubMed and MedlinePlus, provide consumers with the most up-to-date health information. However, non-English speakers often encounter not only language barriers (from other languages to English) but also terminology barriers (from laypersons’ terms to professional medical terms) when retrieving information from these websites. Our previous work addresses language barriers by developing a multilingual medical thesaurus, Chinese-English MeSH, while this study presents an approach to overcome terminology barriers based on Web resources. Two techniques were utilized in our approach: monolingual concept mapping using approximate string matching and crosslingual concept mapping using Web resources. The evaluation shows that our approach can significantly improve the performance on MeSH concept mapping and cross-language medical information retrieval. PMID:17238395

Emergency Department Use and Risk Factors among Deaf American Sign Language Users

PubMed Central

McKee, Michael M.; Winters, Paul C.; Sen, Ananda; Zazove, Philip; Fiscella, Kevin

2015-01-01

Background Deaf American Sign Language (ASL) users comprise a linguistic minority population with poor health care access due to communication barriers and low health literacy. Potentially, these health care barriers could increase Emergency Department (ED) use. Objective To compare ED use between deaf and non-deaf patients. Method A retrospective cohort from medical records. The sample was derived from 400 randomly selected charts (200 deaf ASL users and 200 hearing English speakers) from an outpatient primary care health center with a high volume of deaf patients. Abstracted data included patient demographics, insurance, health behavior, and ED use in the past 36 months. Results Deaf patients were more likely to be never smokers and be insured through Medicaid. In an adjusted analysis, deaf individuals were significantly more likely to use the ED (odds ratio [OR], 1.97; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11–3.51) over the prior 36 months. Conclusion Deaf American Sign Language users appear to be at greater odds for elevated ED utilization when compared to the general hearing population. Efforts to further understand the drivers for increased ED utilization among deaf ASL users are much needed. PMID:26166160

'Death is difficult in any language': A qualitative study of palliative care professionals' experiences when providing end-of-life care to patients from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

PubMed

Green, Anna; Jerzmanowska, Natalia; Green, Marguerite; Lobb, Elizabeth A

2018-05-01

Ethnic minority patients have unique challenges in accessing health services. These include language difficulties, unfamiliarity with the health system, lower rates of cancer screening and survival, higher rates of reported side effects from cancer treatment and poorer quality of life. Little is known about this patient group when transitioning to palliative care. To elicit the experiences of palliative care health professionals when providing care for patients from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds which differ from mainstream Australian language and culture. An emergent qualitative design, informed by theoretical and procedural direction from grounded theory research. Four focus groups held with palliative care staff ( n = 28) in a single specialist palliative care service in Australia. The following themes emerged: (1) determining the rules of engagement around discussion of diagnosis and prognosis, (2) navigating the challenge of language to patient understanding, (3) understanding migration experiences to establish trust, (4) maintaining the balance between patient safety and comfort care, (5) providing a good death experience through accommodation of beliefs, and (6) navigating the important role of family members while privileging patient preferences. Underlying provider perceptions of caring for patients was that death is difficult in any language. Care was conceptualised as considering cultural and linguistic backgrounds within individualistic care. Understanding the migration experience and building trust were key elements of this individualised approach. Acknowledgement of the key role played by families in patient care and safety are strategies to minimise barriers and understand the concerns of this patient group.

Extreme heat and cultural and linguistic minorities in Australia: perceptions of stakeholders

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Despite acclimatisation to hot weather, many individuals in Australia are adversely affected by extreme heat each summer, placing added pressure on the health sector. In terms of public health, it is therefore important to identify vulnerable groups, particularly in the face of a warming climate. International evidence points to a disparity in heat-susceptibility in certain minority groups, although it is unknown if this occurs in Australia. With cultural diversity increasing, the aim of this study was to explore how migrants from different cultural backgrounds and climate experiences manage periods of extreme heat in Australia. Methods A qualitative study was undertaken across three Australian cities, involving interviews and focus groups with key informants including stakeholders involved in multicultural service provision and community members. Thematic analysis and a framework approach were used to analyse the data. Results Whilst migrants and refugees generally adapt well upon resettlement, there are sociocultural barriers encountered by some that hinder environmental adaptation to periods of extreme heat in Australia. These barriers include socioeconomic disadvantage and poor housing, language barriers to the access of information, isolation, health issues, cultural factors and lack of acclimatisation. Most often mentioned as being at risk were new arrivals, people in new and emerging communities, and older migrants. Conclusions With increasing diversity within populations, it is important that the health sector is aware that during periods of extreme heat there may be disparities in the adaptive capacity of minority groups, underpinned by sociocultural and language-based vulnerabilities in migrants and refugees. These factors need to be considered by policymakers when formulating and disseminating heat health strategies. PMID:24889099

Fundamental Movement Skills of Children Living in England: The Role of Ethnicity and Native English Language.

PubMed

Eyre, Emma L J; Walker, Leanne Jaye; Duncan, Michael J

2018-02-01

The development of fundamental movement skills (FMS) has been associated with children's general health, and, while there is evidence to suggest that age, gender, physical activity, and socioeconomic status relate to FMS, the relationship of ethnicity and language barriers to FMS competence has been underexplored. These factors may be of particular interest for South Asian (SA) children who have lower physical activity and increased risk of metabolic disease. This cross-sectional study examined ethnic and language differences in FMS among 218 ethnically diverse five-year-old children (61 White ethnic background, 91 SA, 29 Black ethnic background, and 37 other), some with English as a native language ( n = 90) and some with English as an additional language ( n = 75), all recruited from within central England. Each child was assessed performing five locomotor skills (run, gallop, hop, leap, and jump) and six object skills (catch, kick, bounce, strike, underarm roll, and overarm throw) on the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 . A 2 (gender) × 4 (ethnicity) factor analysis of covariance assessed differences in the locomotor and object composite scores and total FMS score, while controlling for body mass index. A two-factor analysis of covariance assessed native language differences in their impact on FMS. We found ethnic and gender differences in FMS ( p < .05) in that SA children had poorer total FMS and locomotor scores than children of either White or Black ethnic backgrounds ( p = .004, p = .001, and p = .008, p = .002, respectively). Girls had poorer total ( p = .001) and locomotor FMS skills ( p < .001). Children with English as an additional language had similar FMS scores compared to children whose native language was English ( p > .05). The findings of low FMS competency in SA children and girls, irrespective of body mass index, suggest that developmentally appropriate interventions targeting SA children and girls are needed in early years. We discuss some unclear factors related to these differences.

A qualitative investigation of Hispanic construction worker perspectives on factors impacting worksite safety and risk

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Hispanic workers have higher rates of injury and death on construction worksites than workers of other ethnicities. Language barriers and cultural differences have been hypothesized as reasons behind the disparate rates. Methods We conducted two series of focus groups with union and non-union Hispanic construction workers to ask them about their perceptions of the causes for the unequal rates. Spanish transcripts were translated and coded in QSR NVivo software for common themes. Results Workers reported a difficult work environment characterized by supervisor pressure, competition for jobs and intimidation with regard to raising safety concerns. Language barriers or cultural factors were not strongly represented as causative factors behind the rates. Conclusion The results of this study have informed the development of an intervention trial that seeks to prevent falls and silica dust exposure by training contractors employing Hispanic construction workers in the elements of safety leadership, including building respect for their Hispanic workers and facilitating their participation in a safety program. PMID:21962128

A qualitative study on healthcare professionals’ perceived barriers to insulin initiation in a multi-ethnic population

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Nationwide surveys have shown that the prevalence of diabetes rates in Malaysia have almost doubled in the past ten years; yet diabetes control remains poor and insulin therapy is underutilized. This study aimed to explore healthcare professionals’ views on barriers to starting insulin therapy in people with type 2 diabetes. Methods Healthcare professionals consisting of general practitioners (n = 11), family medicine specialists (n = 10), medical officers (n = 8), government policy makers (n = 4), diabetes educators (n = 3) and endocrinologists (n = 2) were interviewed. A semi-structured topic guide was used to guide the interviews by trained facilitators. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using a thematic analysis approach. Results Insulin initiation was found to be affected by patient, healthcare professional and system factors. Patients’ barriers include culture-specific barriers such as the religious purity of insulin, preferred use of complementary medication and perceived lethality of insulin therapy. Healthcare professionals’ barriers include negative attitudes towards insulin therapy and the ‘legacy effect’ of old insulin guidelines; whilst system barriers highlight the lack of resources, language and communication challenges. Conclusions Tackling the issue of insulin initiation should not only happen during clinical consultations. It requires health education to emphasise the progressive nature of diabetes and the eventuality of insulin therapy at early stage of the illness. Healthcare professionals should be trained how to initiate insulin and communicate effectively with patients from various cultural and religious backgrounds. PMID:22469132

Postpartum nurses' perceptions of barriers to screening for intimate partner violence: a cross-sectional survey

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a human rights violation that is pervasive worldwide, and is particularly critical for women during the reproductive period. IPV includes physical, sexual and emotional abuse. Nurses on in-patient postpartum units are well-positioned to screen women for IPV, yet low screening rates suggest that barriers to screening exist. The purpose of this study was to (a) identify the frequency of screening for IPV, (b) the most important barriers to screening, (c) the relationship between the barriers to screening and the frequency of screening for types of abuse, and (d) to identify other factors that contribute to the frequency of screening for IPV. Methods In 2008, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of 96 nurses from postpartum inpatient units in three Canadian urban hospitals. The survey included the Barriers to Abuse Assessment Tool (BAAT), adapted for postpartum nurses (PPN). Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models were used to predict barriers to screening for each type of IPV. Results The frequency of screening varied by the type of abuse with highest screening rates found for physical and emotional abuse. According to the BAAT-PPN, lack of knowledge was the most important barrier to screening. The BAAT-PPN total score was negatively correlated with screening for physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. Using OLS regression models and after controlling for demographic characteristics, the BAAT-PPN explained 14%, 12%, and 11% of the variance in screening for physical, sexual and emotional abuse, respectively. Fluency in the language of the patient was negatively correlated with screening for each type of abuse. When added as Step 3 to OLS regression models, language fluency was associated with an additional decrease in the likelihood of screening for physical (beta coefficient = -.38, P < .001), sexual (beta coefficient = -.24, P = .05), and emotional abuse (beta coefficient = -.48, P < .001) and increased the variance explained by the model to 25%, 17%, and 31%, respectively. Conclusions Our findings support an inverse relationship between rates of screening for IPV and nurses' perceptions of barriers. Barriers to screening for IPV, particularly related to knowledge and language fluency, need to be addressed to increase rates of screening on postpartum units. PMID:22348260

Perspectives of oncology nurses and oncologists regarding barriers to working with patients from a minority background: Systemic issues and working with interpreters.

PubMed

Watts, K J; Meiser, B; Zilliacus, E; Kaur, R; Taouk, M; Girgis, A; Butow, P; Kissane, D W; Hale, S; Perry, A; Aranda, S K; Goldstein, D

2018-03-01

This study aimed to ascertain the systemic barriers encountered by oncology health professionals (HPs) working with patients from ethnic minorities to guide the development of a communication skills training programme. Twelve medical and five radiation oncologists and 21 oncology nurses were invited to participate in this qualitative study. Participants were interviewed individually or in a focus group about their experiences working with people from minority backgrounds. All interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. HPs encountered language and communication barriers in their interactions with patients and their families, which were perceived to impact negatively on the quality and amount of information and support provided. There was a shortage of, and poor processes for engaging, interpreters and some HPs were concerned about the accuracy of interpretation. HPs expressed a need for training in cultural awareness and communication skills with a preference for face-to-face delivery. A lack of funding, a culture of "learning on the job", and time constraints were systemic barriers to training. Oncologists and oncology nurses encounter complex challenges in clinical interactions with minority patients and their families, including difficulties working with interpreters. Formal training programmes targeted to the development of culturally competent communication skills are required. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Supporting culturally and linguistically diverse students during clinical placement: strategies from both sides of the table.

PubMed

O'Reilly, Sharleen L; Milner, Julia

2015-10-15

Increasing proportions of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) students within health professional courses at universities creates challenges in delivering inclusive training and education. Clinical placements are a core component of most health care degrees as they allow for applied learning opportunities. A research gap has been identified in regard to understanding challenges and strategies for CALD students in health professional placements. A key stakeholder approach was used to examine barriers and enablers experienced by CALD students in clinical placement. Semi-structured focus groups with healthcare students (n = 13) and clinical placement supervisors (n = 12) were employed. The focus groups were analysed using open coding and thematic analysis. Three main barrier areas were identified: placement planning and preparation; teaching, assessment and feedback; and cultural and language issues. Potential solutions included addressing placement planning and preparation barriers, appropriate student placement preparation, pre-placement identification of higher risk CALD students, and diversity training for supervisors. For the barrier of teaching, assessment & feedback, addressing strategies were to: adapt student caseloads, encourage regular casual supervisor-student conversations, develop supportive placement delivery modes and structures, set expectations early, model the constructive feedback process, use visual aids, and tailor the learning environment to individual student needs. The enablers for cultural & language issues were to: build language and practical approaches for communication, raise awareness of the healthcare system (how it interacts with healthcare professions and how patients access it), and initiate mentoring programs. The findings suggest that teaching and learning strategies should be student-centred, aiming to promote awareness of difference and its impacts then develop appropriate responses by both student and teacher. Universities and partnering agencies, such as clinical training providers, need to provide an inclusive learning environment for students from multiple cultural backgrounds.

Communication in cross-cultural consultations in primary care in Europe: the case for improvement. The rationale for the RESTORE FP 7 project.

PubMed

van den Muijsenbergh, Maria; van Weel-Baumgarten, Evelyn; Burns, Nicola; O'Donnell, Catherine; Mair, Frances; Spiegel, Wolfgang; Lionis, Christos; Dowrick, Chris; O'Reilly-de Brún, Mary; de Brun, Tomas; MacFarlane, Anne

2014-04-01

The purpose of this paper is to substantiate the importance of research about barriers and levers to the implementation of supports for cross-cultural communication in primary care settings in Europe. After an overview of migrant health issues, with the focus on communication in cross-cultural consultations in primary care and the importance of language barriers, we highlight the fact that there are serious problems in routine practice that persist over time and across different European settings. Language and cultural barriers hamper communication in consultations between doctors and migrants, with a range of negative effects including poorer compliance and a greater propensity to access emergency services. It is well established that there is a need for skilled interpreters and for professionals who are culturally competent to address this problem. A range of professional guidelines and training initiatives exist that support the communication in cross-cultural consultations in primary care. However, these are commonly not implemented in daily practice. It is as yet unknown why professionals do not accept or implement these guidelines and interventions, or under what circumstances they would do so. A new study involving six European countries, RESTORE (REsearch into implementation STrategies to support patients of different ORigins and language background in a variety of European primary care settings), aims to address these gaps in knowledge. It uses a unique combination of a contemporary social theory, normalisation process theory (NPT) and participatory learning and action (PLA) research. This should enhance understanding of the levers and barriers to implementation, as well as providing stakeholders, with the opportunity to generate creative solutions to problems experienced with the implementation of such interventions.

Improving the uptake of pre-travel health advice amongst migrant Australians: exploring the attitudes of primary care providers and migrant community groups.

PubMed

Seale, Holly; Kaur, Rajneesh; Mahimbo, Abela; MacIntyre, C Raina; Zwar, Nicholas; Smith, Mitchell; Worth, Heather; Heywood, Anita E

2016-05-18

Migrant travellers who return to their country of origin to visit family and friends (VFR) are less likely to seek travel-related medical care and are less likely to adhere to recommended medications and travel precautions. Through this study, we aimed to get an understanding of the views of stakeholders from community migrant centres and primary care providers on barriers for migrants, particularly from non-English speaking backgrounds, in accessing travel health advice and the strategies that could be used to engage them. A qualitative study involving 20 semi-structured interviews was undertaken in Sydney, Australia between January 2013 and September 2014. Thematic analysis was undertaken. Language barriers, a lower perceived risk of travel-related infections and the financial costs of seeking pre-travel health care were nominated as being the key barriers impacting on the uptake of pre-travel health advice and precautions. To overcome pre-existing language barriers, participants advocated for the use of bilingual community educators, community radio, ethnic newspapers and posters in the dissemination of pre-travel health information. Travel is a major vector of importation of infectious diseases into Australia, and VFR travellers are at high risk of infection. Collaboration between the Government, primary care physicians, migrant community groups and migrants themselves is crucial if we are to be successful in reducing travel-related risks among this subgroup of travellers.

Language barriers and qualitative nursing research: methodological considerations.

PubMed

Squires, A

2008-09-01

This review of the literature synthesizes methodological recommendations for the use of translators and interpreters in cross-language qualitative research. Cross-language qualitative research involves the use of interpreters and translators to mediate a language barrier between researchers and participants. Qualitative nurse researchers successfully address language barriers between themselves and their participants when they systematically plan for how they will use interpreters and translators throughout the research process. Experienced qualitative researchers recognize that translators can generate qualitative data through translation processes and by participating in data analysis. Failure to address language barriers and the methodological challenges they present threatens the credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability of cross-language qualitative nursing research. Through a synthesis of the cross-language qualitative methods literature, this article reviews the basics of language competence, translator and interpreter qualifications, and roles for each kind of qualitative research approach. Methodological and ethical considerations are also provided. By systematically addressing the methodological challenges cross-language research presents, nurse researchers can produce better evidence for nursing practice and policy making when working across different language groups. Findings from qualitative studies will also accurately represent the experiences of the participants without concern that the meaning was lost in translation.

Language Barriers of the Culturally Different.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berg, Paul Conrad

Language differences peculiar to the disadvantaged are discussed as they relate to reading. Linguistic differences, including the interdependence among language, operant feedback, thought, and experience, and the power of these to reconstruct and reassociate through reading constitute one barrier. Another is the effects of language on the total…

Barriers to and Facilitators of Research Utilization: A Survey of Registered Nurses in China

PubMed Central

Wang, Li-Ping; Jiang, Xiao-Lian; Wang, Lei; Wang, Guo-Rong; Bai, Yang-Jing

2013-01-01

Aims This survey aims to describe the perception of barriers to and facilitators of research utilization by registered nurses in Sichuan province, China, and to explore the factors influencing the perceptions of the barriers to and facilitators of research utilization. Methods A cross sectional survey design and a double cluster sampling method were adopted. A total of 590 registered nurses from 3 tertiary level hospitals in Sichuan province, China, were recruited in a period from September 2006 to January 2007. A modified BARRUERS Scale and a Facilitators Scale were used. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, rank transformation test, and multiple linear regression. Results Barriers related to the setting subscale were more influential than barriers related to other subscales. The lack of authority was ranked as the top greatest barrier (15.7%), followed by the lack of time (13.4%) and language barrier (15.0%). Additional barriers identified were the reluctance of patients to research utilization, the lack of funding, and the lack of legal protection. The top three greatest facilitators were enhancing managerial support (36.9%), advancing education to increase knowledge base (21.1%), and increasing time for reviewing and implementing (17.5%), while cooperation of patients to research utilization, establishing a panel to evaluate researches, and funding were listed as additional facilitators. Hospital, educational background, research experience, and knowledge on evidence-based nursing were the factors influencing perceptions of the barriers and facilitators. Conclusions Nurses in China are facing a number of significant barriers in research utilization. Enhancing managerial support might be the most promising facilitator, given Chinese traditional culture and existing health care system. Hospital, educational background, research experience and knowledge on evidence-based nursing should be taken into account to promote research utilization. The BARRIERS Scale should consider funding and involvement of patients in research utilization. PMID:24312380

Patients' evaluation of quality of care in general practice: what are the cultural and linguistic barriers?

PubMed

Harmsen, J A M; Bernsen, R M D; Bruijnzeels, M A; Meeuwesen, L

2008-07-01

Increased migration implies increased contacts for physicians with patients from diverse cultural backgrounds who have different expectations about healthcare. How satisfied are immigrant patients, and how do they perceive the quality of care? This study investigated which patient characteristics (such as cultural views and language proficiency) are related to patients' satisfaction and perceived quality of care. Patients (n=663) from 38 general practices in Rotterdam (The Netherlands) were interviewed. General satisfaction with the general practitioner (GP) was measured by a report mark. Perceived quality of care was measured using the 'Quote-mi' scale (quality of care through the patient's eyes-for migrants), which contains an ethnic-specific subscale and a communication process subscale. Using multilevel regression techniques, the relation between patient characteristics (ethnicity, age, education, Dutch language proficiency, cultural views) and satisfaction and perceived quality of care was analysed. In general, patients seemed fairly satisfied. Non-Western patients perceived less quality of care and were less satisfied than Dutch-born patients. The older the patients and the more modern cultural views they had, the more satisfied they were about the GP in general, as well as about the communication process. However, non-Western patients holding more modern views were the most critical regarding the ethnic-specific quality items. The poorer patients' Dutch language proficiency, the more negative they were about the communication process. It is concluded that next to communication aspects, especially when the patient's proficiency in Dutch is poor, physician awareness about the patient's cultural views is very important during the consultation. This holds especially true when the immigrant patient seems to be more or less acculturated. Medical students and physicians should be trained to become aware of the relevance of patients' different cultural backgrounds. It is also recommended to offer facilities to bridge the language barrier, by making use of interpreters or cultural mediators.

Barriers to GPs' use of evidence-based medicine: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Zwolsman, Sandra; te Pas, Ellen; Hooft, Lotty; Waard, Margreet Wieringa-de; van Dijk, Nynke

2012-01-01

Background GPs report various barriers to the use and practice of evidence-based medicine (EBM). A review of research on these barriers may help solve problems regarding the uptake of evidence in clinical outpatient practice. Aim To determine the barriers encountered by GPs in the practice of EBM and to come up with solutions to the barriers identified. Design A systematic review of the literature. Method The following databases were searched: MEDLINE® (PubMed®), Embase, CINAHL®, ERIC, and the Cochrane Library, until February 2011. Primary studies (all methods, all languages) that explore the barriers that GPs encounter in the practice of EBM were included. Results A total of 14 700 articles were identified, of which 22 fulfilled all inclusion criteria. Of the latter, nine concerned qualitative, 12 concerned quantitative, and one concerned both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The barriers described in the articles cover the categories: evidence (including the accompanying EBM steps), the GP’s preferences (experience, expertise, education), and the patient’s preferences. The particular GP setting also has important barriers to the use of EBM. Barriers found in this review, among others, include lack of time, EBM skills, and available evidence; patient-related factors; and the attitude of the GP. Conclusion Various barriers are encountered when using EBM in GP practice. Interventions that help GPs to overcome these barriers are needed, both within EBM education and in clinical practice. PMID:22781999

Language barrier and its relationship to diabetes and diabetic retinopathy

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Language barrier is an important determinant of health care access and health. We examined the associations of English proficiency with type-2 diabetes (T2DM) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in Asian Indians living in Singapore, an urban city where English is the predominant language of communication. Methods This was a population-based, cross-sectional study. T2DM was defined as HbA1c ≥6.5%, use of diabetic medication or a physician diagnosis of diabetes. Retinal photographs were graded for the severity of DR including vision-threatening DR (VTDR). Presenting visual impairment (VI) was defined as LogMAR visual acuity > 0.30 in the better-seeing eye. English proficiency at the time of interview was assessed. Results The analyses included 2,289 (72.1%) English-speaking and 885 (27.9%) Tamil- speaking Indians. Tamil-speaking Indians had significantly higher prevalence of T2DM (46.2 vs. 34.7%, p < 0.001) and, among those with diabetes, higher prevalence of DR (36.0 vs. 30.6%, p < 0.001), VTDR (11.0 vs. 6.5%, p < 0.001), and VI (32.4 vs. 14.6%) than English speaking Indians. Oaxaca decomposition analyses showed that the language-related discrepancies (defined as the difference in prevalence between persons speaking different languages) in T2DM, DR, and VTDR could not be fully explained by socioeconomic measures. Conclusions In an English dominant society, Tamil-speaking Indians are more likely to have T2DM and diabetic retinopathy. Social policies and health interventions that address language-related health disparities may help reduce the public health impact of T2DM in societies with heterogeneous populations. PMID:22974298

Algorithms for the diagnosis and treatment of restless legs syndrome in primary care

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder with a lifetime prevalence of 3-10%. in European studies. However, the diagnosis of RLS in primary care remains low and mistreatment is common. Methods The current article reports on the considerations of RLS diagnosis and management that were made during a European Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (EURLSSG)-sponsored task force consisting of experts and primary care practioners. The task force sought to develop a better understanding of barriers to diagnosis in primary care practice and overcome these barriers with diagnostic and treatment algorithms. Results The barriers to diagnosis identified by the task force include the presentation of symptoms, the language used to describe them, the actual term "restless legs syndrome" and difficulties in the differential diagnosis of RLS. Conclusion The EURLSSG task force reached a consensus and agreed on the diagnostic and treatment algorithms published here. PMID:21352569

PERCEIVED BARRIERS TO OPPORTUNITY AND THEIR RELATION TO SUBSTANCE USE AMONG LATINO IMMIGRANT MEN

PubMed Central

Ornelas, India J.; Eng, Eugenia; Perreira, Krista M.

2011-01-01

Theory and empirical evidence suggest that perceived barriers to opportunity, such as discrimination, can lead to the adoption of unhealthy behaviors. The study assessed the relationship between perceived racial/ethnic, language and legal status barriers to opportunity and substance use among Latino immigrant men in North Carolina. Logistic regression was used to test for the association between perceived barriers and odds of binge drinking in the past 30 days and cigarette smoking. In both crude and adjusted models, perceived language barriers (OR = 3.05, 95% CI: 1.78 – 5.25) and legal status barriers (OR = 2.25, 95% CI: 1.26 – 4.01) were associated with increased odds of having engaged in binge drinking. Perceived barriers to opportunity were not significantly associated with cigarette smoking. Further research is needed to better understand the effect of language and legal status barriers on health among Latino immigrants. PMID:20865312

[Female migrants in the health care system. Health care utilisation, access barriers and health promotion strategies].

PubMed

Wimmer-Puchinger, B; Wolf, H; Engleder, A

2006-09-01

Due to the evident interaction between social factors and health, migrants are exposed to specific risk factors and access barriers to health services. Some examples are the lower education level, the low social position and/or the insufficient language skills. This concept is further elaborated in the multi-factorial impacts of health literacy. Female migrants often experience additional discrimination because of their gender. Despite the lack of representative data, consistent studies show that female migrants do not regularly take advantage of health care prevention and present themselves with higher degrees of stress. The current "inadequate health care" manifests itself in a lack of care in the areas of prevention and health education and an abundance in the context of medication and diagnostic procedures. To meet these demands and to further reduce barriers, in particular language barriers, specific strategies for this target group involving both politics and the health care system have to be developed. Besides the employment of interpreters with a native cultural background and the distribution of information booklets, it is an important strategy to reduce structural obstacles such as cultural diversity. To contact these women in their living environment should help to increase their self-determined health promotion. Selected models of good practice in Austria with regard to the themes of FGM (female genital mutilation), violence, heart disease and breast cancer are presented to highlight the specific health situation and risk factors of female migrants as well as successful strategies to confront them.

The Impact of Cervical Cancer Education for Deaf Women Using a Video Educational Tool Employing American Sign Language, Open Captioning, and Graphics

PubMed Central

Choe, Sun; Lim, Rod Seung-Hwan; Clark, Karen; Wang, Regina; Branz, Patricia; Sadler, Georgia Robins

2013-01-01

Background Deaf women encounter barriers to accessing cancer information. In this study, we evaluated whether deaf women's knowledge could be increased by viewing a graphically enriched, American Sign Language (ASL) cervical cancer education video. Methods A blind, randomized trial evaluated knowledge gain and retention. Deaf women (n = 130) completed questionnaires before, after, and 2 months after viewing the video. Results With only a single viewing of the in-depth video, the experimental group gained and retained significantly more cancer knowledge than the control group. Conclusions Giving deaf women access to the ASL cervical cancer education video (http://cancer.ucsd.edu/deafinfo) significantly increased their knowledge of cervical cancer. PMID:19259859

The impact of workplace factors on evidence-based speech-language pathology practice for children with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Cheung, Gladys; Trembath, David; Arciuli, Joanne; Togher, Leanne

2013-08-01

Although researchers have examined barriers to implementing evidence-based practice (EBP) at the level of the individual, little is known about the effects workplaces have on speech-language pathologists' implementation of EBP. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of workplace factors on the use of EBP amongst speech-language pathologists who work with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This study sought to (a) explore views about EBP amongst speech-language pathologists who work with children with ASD, (b) identify workplace factors which, in the participants' opinions, acted as barriers or enablers to their provision of evidence-based speech-language pathology services, and (c) examine whether or not speech-language pathologists' responses to workplace factors differed based on the type of workplace or their years of experience. A total of 105 speech-language pathologists from across Australia completed an anonymous online questionnaire. The results indicate that, although the majority of speech-language pathologists agreed that EBP is necessary, they experienced barriers to their implementation of EBP including workplace culture and support, lack of time, cost of EBP, and the availability and accessibility of EBP resources. The barriers reported by speech-language pathologists were similar, regardless of their workplace (private practice vs organization) and years of experience.

Dual Language Teachers' Stated Barriers to Implementation of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freire, Juan A.; Valdez, Verónica E.

2017-01-01

Culturally relevant pedagogy receives limited attention in many U.S. dual language classrooms. This article focuses on understanding the barriers eight elementary Spanish-English dual language teachers saw as preventing the implementation of culturally relevant pedagogy in their urban classrooms. Employing critical sociocultural theory and drawing…

Eliminating Language Barriers Online at European Prisons (ELBEP): A Case-Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barkan, M.; Toprak, E.; Kumtepe, A. T.; Kumtepe, E. Genc; Ataizi, M.; Pilanci, H.; Mutlu, M. E.; Kayabas, I.; Kayabas, B. Kip

2011-01-01

ELBEP (Eliminating Language Barriers in European Prisons Through Open and Distance Education Technology) is a multilateral project funded by the European Union (EU) Lifelong Learning, Grundtvig (Adult Education) Programme. It aims to overcome language/communication problems between prison staff and foreign inmates at European prisons via online…

Exploring the Determinants of Language Barriers in Health Care (LBHC): Toward a Research Agenda for the Language Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Segalowitz, Norman; Kehayia, Eva

2011-01-01

There is growing interest in language barriers in health care (LBHC)--interest, that is, in how the quality of health care service delivery might be compromised when patients and health care providers do not share the same first language. This article discusses LBHC as an emerging research area that provides valuable opportunities for researchers…

Patient Satisfaction with Different Interpreting Methods: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Leng, Jennifer; Shapiro, Ephraim; Abramson, David; Motola, Ivette; Shield, David C.; Changrani, Jyotsna

2007-01-01

Background Growth of the foreign-born population in the U.S. has led to increasing numbers of limited-English-proficient (LEP) patients. Innovative medical interpreting strategies, including remote simultaneous medical interpreting (RSMI), have arisen to address the language barrier. This study evaluates the impact of interpreting method on patient satisfaction. Methods 1,276 English-, Spanish-, Mandarin-, and Cantonese-speaking patients attending the primary care clinic and emergency department of a large New York City municipal hospital were screened for enrollment in a randomized controlled trial. Language-discordant patients were randomized to RSMI or usual and customary (U&C) interpreting. Patients with language-concordant providers received usual care. Demographic and patient satisfaction questionnaires were administered to all participants. Results 541 patients were language-concordant with their providers and not randomized; 371 were randomized to RSMI, 167 of whom were exposed to RSMI; and 364 were randomized to U&C, 198 of whom were exposed to U&C. Patients randomized to RSMI were more likely than those with U&C to think doctors treated them with respect (RSMI 71%, U&C 64%, p < 0.05), but they did not differ in other measures of physician communication/care. In a linear regression analysis, exposure to RSMI was significantly associated with an increase in overall satisfaction with physician communication/care (β 0.10, 95% CI 0.02–0.18, scale 0–1.0). Patients randomized to RSMI were more likely to think the interpreting method protected their privacy (RSMI 51%, U&C 38%, p < 0.05). Patients randomized to either arm of interpretation reported less comprehension and satisfaction than patients in language-concordant encounters. Conclusions While not a substitute for language-concordant providers, RSMI can improve patient satisfaction and privacy among LEP patients. Implementing RSMI should be considered an important component of a multipronged approach to addressing language barriers in health care. PMID:17957417

It isn't all about language: communication barriers for Latinas using contraceptives.

PubMed

Campo, Shelly; Kohler, Connie; Askelson, Natoshia M; Ortiz, Cristina; Losch, Mary

2015-11-01

Little is known about barriers that Latinas in the United States face in preventing unintended pregnancies beyond those of language and cost. This study examined factors inhibiting contraceptive use among 18- to 30-year-old Latinas in the Midwest. Individual interviews (N = 31) were conducted in Spanish with Latinas residing across the state. The interview protocol included questions about contraceptives and unintended pregnancies. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, translated, and coded for themes related to barriers. The majority of the barriers were related to communication but not English proficiency. Respondents talked about specific situations and experiences in which communication presented obstacles to using contraceptives. While language and cost are important barriers, attention needs to be paid to the other communication issues that women face related to culture, religion, partners, family, and spontaneity. Health care providers need to address the range of communication barriers that affect Latinas' contraceptive use. © The Author(s) 2014.

Inclusive deaf studies: barriers and pathways.

PubMed

Fernandes, Jane K; Myers, Shirley Shultz

2010-01-01

Joining scholars signaling the need for new directions in Deaf Studies, the authors recommend a more expansive, nuanced, and interdisciplinary approach that encompasses the many ways deaf people live today. Rather than destroy Deaf culture, this approach is the only realistic way to allow it and Deaf Studies to survive. Deaf Studies today continues the focus of founding scholarship on native White American Sign Language users, now head of a powerful hierarchy through which they receive privileged status at the expense of deaf people with different language backgrounds and races or ethnicities. This marginalization is unsustainable and impedes knowledge. A companion article (this issue), "Deaf Studies: A Critique of the Predominant U.S. Theoretical Direction," analyzes this reactive stance that is oriented by a focus on audism built on the concepts of phonocentrism and colonialism.

One service, many voices: enhancing consumer participation in a primary health service for multicultural women.

PubMed

Lee, Susan K; Thompson, Sandra C; Amorin-Woods, Deisy

2009-01-01

Consumer participation in primary health care is important in providing quality consumer-focused care, but challenging when working with disadvantaged groups of diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Women's Health Services (WHS) works with women from over 60 different nationalities, including many newly arrived migrants and refugees. New arrivals access a wide range of WHS programmes including medical services, counselling, information, community talks and workshops, referral, and outreach, but few ethnic women attended the alcohol and other drug (AOD) services offered by the organisation. To establish an active consumer reference group to assist understanding and reducing the barriers to AOD services for a heterogeneous disadvantaged group that includes individuals from different cultural, language and educational backgrounds. Leaning heavily on experiences from the mental health field, WHS overcame many practical and philosophical considerations which included: agreeing upon the purpose of the group and how it would operate within the structure of the organisation; the level of English language required by participants for the group to function; issues of resourcing the group; and ensuring an appropriate, workable demographic mix in terms of age, language, and migration experiences. The process and the outcome of establishing a consumer reference group (CRG) in a primary healthcare setting has been valuable for consumers' and health service providers within the organisation.

The "Language Barrier" in Private Online Tutoring: From an Innocuous Concept to a Neoliberal Marketing Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kozar, Olga

2014-01-01

The "language barrier" is a common buzzword in Russian-English teaching discourse that has not yet been critically investigated. This study contemplates a recently emerging phenomenon of private online language tutoring in Russia through investigation of this popular phrase. The paper draws on Critical Discourse Analysis to explore…

Pre-Service Teachers' Uses of and Barriers from Adopting Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Samani, Ebrahim; Baki, Roselan; Razali, Abu Bakar

2014-01-01

Success in implementation of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) programs depends on the teachers' understanding of the roles of CALL programs in education. Consequently, it is also important to understand the barriers teachers face in the use of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) programs. The current study was conducted on 14…

Technologies and Second Language: Nigerian Students' Adaptive Strategies to Cope with Language Barrier in Northern Cyprus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elega, Adeola Abdulateef; Özad, Bahire Efe

2017-01-01

This study sought to investigate how Nigerian students in Northern Cyprus cope with language barrier and increase interactions with people of the host community beyond the classroom via utilizing technological adaptive strategies. In order to complete this study, a descriptive design based on a survey conducted among 238 Nigerian students studying…

Access to healthcare and alternative health-seeking strategies among undocumented migrants in Denmark

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background As in many European countries, undocumented migrants in Denmark have restricted access to healthcare. The aim of this study is to describe and analyse undocumented migrants' experiences of access to healthcare, use of alternative health-seeking strategies; and ER nurses' experiences in encounters with undocumented migrants. Methods Qualitative design using semi-structured interviews and observations. The participants included ten undocumented South Asian migrants and eight ER nurses. Results Undocumented migrants reported difficulties accessing healthcare. The barriers to healthcare were: limited medical rights, arbitrariness in healthcare professionals' attitudes, fear of being reported to the police, poor language skills, lack of network with Danish citizens, lack of knowledge about the healthcare system and lack of knowledge about informal networks of healthcare professionals. These barriers induced alternative health-seeking strategies, such as self-medication, contacting doctors in home countries and borrowing health insurance cards from Danish citizens. ER nurses expressed willingness to treat all patients regardless of their migratory status, but also reported challenges in the encounters with undocumented migrants. The challenges for ER nurses were: language barriers, issues of false identification, insecurities about the correct standard procedures and not always being able to provide appropriate care. Conclusions Undocumented migrants face formal and informal barriers to the Danish healthcare system, which lead to alternative health-seeking strategies that may have adverse effects on their health. This study shows the need for policies and guidelines, which in accordance with international human rights law, ensure access to healthcare for undocumented migrants and give clarity to healthcare professionals. PMID:21752296

Barriers to timely diagnosis and treatment for children with hearing impairment in a southern Indian city: a qualitative study of parents and clinic staff.

PubMed

Merugumala, Sri Vamshi; Pothula, Vijay; Cooper, Max

2017-10-01

In low income countries, deaf children are identified late due to the absence of a universal screening. Hearing impairment is a common yet neglected disability in India that leads to loss of speech and language. This qualitative study explored barriers to accessing appropriate hearing services in one city in southern India. To identify the barriers in timely management of deafness, 25 semi-structured interviews were conducted. Data were examined using Applied Thematic Analysis. Seventeen mothers of deaf children, primarily from low socioeconomic backgrounds, and eight staff members at a charitable hearing centre in Hyderabad. Barriers to accessing hearing services included failure to recognise deafness, the dominant role of elders in household decisions, belief that deafness would resolve, reassurance from a child's overall good health, lack of funds and transportation barriers to reach the centre particularly from rural areas. Parents frequently learned about services through word of mouth. The challenges to accessing appropriate services for deafness operate prior to presentation and include educational, cultural, navigational and financial barriers especially for those of lower socioeconomic status and residents of rural areas. The findings highlighted the need to raise awareness and implement wider screening programmes for early interventions.

25 tips for working through language and cultural barriers in your medical practice.

PubMed

Hills, Laura Sachs

2009-01-01

The language and cultural barriers facing medical patients with limited English language proficiency pose tremendous challenges and risks. Moreover, medical practices today are more likely than ever to employ individuals whose first language is not English or who do not possess native-like knowledge of American culture. Knowing how to work through the language and cultural barriers you are likely to encounter in your medical practice has become increasingly more important. This article is written by a practice management consultant who has graduate-level linguistics training and second-language teaching credentials and experience. It offers 25 practical tips to help you communicate more effectively with individuals who are outside of your native culture and language. These include easy-to-implement tips about English language pronunciation, grammar, and word choice. This article also suggests what you can do personally to bridge the cultural divide with your patients and co-workers. Finally, this article includes a case study of one Virginia practice in which cultural differences interfered with the practice's smooth operation. It explains how the practice eventually worked through and overcame this cultural obstacle.

Treatment decision making experiences of migrant cancer patients and their families in Australia.

PubMed

Shaw, Joanne; Zou, Xian; Butow, Phyllis

2015-06-01

To explore treatment decision-making experiences of Australian migrants with cancer from Arabic, Chinese, or Greek backgrounds and their relatives. 73 patients and 18 caregivers from cancer support groups and oncology clinics participated in either a focus group (n=14) or semi-structured interview (n=21) conducted in the participant's own language. Participant treatment decision-making preferences were discussed as part of patients' overall treatment experience and a thematic analysis conducted. Four main themes emerged from the data: (1) perceived role of the patient in decision-making; (2) access to information and the impact of language; (3) cultural influences (4) family involvement. The majority of participants experienced passive involvement during treatment consultations, but expressed a desire for greater involvement. Language rather than culture was a greater obstacle to active participation. Difficulty communicating effectively in English was the most significant barrier to participation in treatment decisions. To overcome language challenges, participants actively sought information from alternative sources. This study provides new insights into the influence of language and culture on the treatment decision-making experiences of migrants with cancer and their families within the Australian cancer care system. To reduce health disparities doctors need to address language difficulties and be aware of cultural differences. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Methodological Challenges in Cross-Language Qualitative Research: A Research Review

PubMed Central

Squires, Allison

2009-01-01

Objectives Cross-language qualitative research occurs when a language barrier is present between researchers and participants. The language barrier is frequently mediated through the use of a translator or interpreter. The purpose of this critical review of cross-language qualitative research was three fold: 1) review the methods literature addressing cross language research; 2) synthesize the methodological recommendations from the literature into a list of criteria that could evaluate how researchers methodologically managed translators and interpreters in their qualitative studies; and 3) test these criteria on published cross-language qualitative studies. Data sources A group of 40 purposively selected cross-language qualitative studies found in nursing and health sciences journals. Review methods The synthesis of the cross-language methods literature produced 14 criteria to evaluate how qualitative researchers managed the language barrier between themselves and their study participants. To test the criteria, the researcher conducted a summative content analysis framed by discourse analysis techniques of the 40 cross-language studies. Results The evaluation showed that only 6 out of 40 studies met all the criteria recommended by the cross-language methods literature for the production of trustworthy results in cross-language qualitative studies. Multiple inconsistencies, reflecting disadvantageous methodological choices by cross-language researchers, appeared in the remaining 33 studies. To name a few, these included rendering the translator or interpreter as an invisible part of the research process, failure to pilot test interview questions in the participant’s language, no description of translator or interpreter credentials, failure to acknowledge translation as a limitation of the study, and inappropriate methodological frameworks for cross-language research. Conclusions The finding about researchers making the role of the translator or interpreter invisible during the research process supports studies completed by other authors examining this issue. The analysis demonstrated that the criteria produced by this study may provide useful guidelines for evaluating cross-language research and for novice cross-language researchers designing their first studies. Finally, the study also indicates that researchers attempting cross-language studies need to address the methodological issues surrounding language barriers between researchers and participants more systematically. PMID:18789799

Methodological challenges in cross-language qualitative research: a research review.

PubMed

Squires, Allison

2009-02-01

Cross-language qualitative research occurs when a language barrier is present between researchers and participants. The language barrier is frequently mediated through the use of a translator or interpreter. The purpose of this analysis of cross-language qualitative research was threefold: (1) review the methods literature addressing cross-language research; (2) synthesize the methodological recommendations from the literature into a list of criteria that could evaluate how researchers methodologically managed translators and interpreters in their qualitative studies; (3) test these criteria on published cross-language qualitative studies. A group of 40 purposively selected cross-language qualitative studies found in nursing and health sciences journals. The synthesis of the cross-language methods literature produced 14 criteria to evaluate how qualitative researchers managed the language barrier between themselves and their study participants. To test the criteria, the researcher conducted a summative content analysis framed by discourse analysis techniques of the 40 cross-language studies. The evaluation showed that only 6 out of 40 studies met all the criteria recommended by the cross-language methods literature for the production of trustworthy results in cross-language qualitative studies. Multiple inconsistencies, reflecting disadvantageous methodological choices by cross-language researchers, appeared in the remaining 33 studies. To name a few, these included rendering the translator or interpreter as an invisible part of the research process, failure to pilot test interview questions in the participant's language, no description of translator or interpreter credentials, failure to acknowledge translation as a limitation of the study, and inappropriate methodological frameworks for cross-language research. The finding about researchers making the role of the translator or interpreter invisible during the research process supports studies completed by other authors examining this issue. The analysis demonstrated that the criteria produced by this study may provide useful guidelines for evaluating cross-language research and for novice cross-language researchers designing their first studies. Finally, the study also indicates that researchers attempting cross-language studies need to address the methodological issues surrounding language barriers between researchers and participants more systematically.

Language Learning and Intercultural Education: Barriers and Prospects in the Cypriot Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hajisoteriou, Christina; Angelides, Panayiotis

2017-01-01

The main goal of this study is to examine the barriers and prospects of intercultural education in Cypriot schools of the southern part of the island with regard to not only learning the language of the reception country, but also the language of origin. Taking this as the point of departure, this study aims to explore the content and goals of…

How do hospitalised patients with Turkish migration background estimate their language skills and their comprehension of medical information – a prospective cross-sectional study and comparison to native patients in Germany to assess the language barrier and the need for translation

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Today more than two million people with Turkish migration background live in Germany making them the largest ethnic minority in the country. Data concerning language skills and the perception of medical information in hospitalised patients with Turkish migration background (T) are scarce. Our study is the first to gather quantitative information on this important subject. Methods T and hospitalised German patients without migration background (G) of our university hospital were prospectively included into a cross-sectional study and completed a questionnaire - each group in the appropriate language (T: Turkish, G: German). Results 121 T and 121 G were included. Groups significantly differed in age (T: 44.9 ± 17.8, G: 56.9 ± 16.7y) and proportion of males (T: 37.2, G: 54.5%) but not regarding the proportion of college graduates (T: 19.3, G: 15.7%). The majority of T was born in Turkey (71%) and is of Turkish nationality (66%). 74% of T speak mainly Turkish at home; however, 73% speak German at work. 74.4% of T self-rated their German linguistic proficiency as “average” or better while 25.6% reported it as “very bad” or “bad”. 10.7% of T need translation in order to pursue everyday activities. T were significantly less satisfied with the physician’s information on disease and estimated to understand significantly less of what the physician told them: 46.3% of T estimated their reception of the physician’s information to be “average” or worse. 43.3% of T had the impression that it would have helped them “much” or “very much” to be aided by an interpreter at the hospital. The information transmitted while giving informed consent to invasive medical procedure was judged to be “mostly” or “completely” sufficient by the majority of T (76%) and G (89.8%). In this setting 37 of 96 T (38.5%) reported being helped by an interpreter – in most cases (64.9%) a family member. Conclusion Although the majority of patients with Turkish migration background have spent most of their lives in Germany (28.94 ± 10.41y) a large part of this population has limited German language skills and difficulties obtaining medical information when hospitalised. PMID:23710582

78 FR 68987 - Guides for Private Vocational and Distance Education Schools

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-18

... placement assistance and assistance overcoming language barriers or learning disabilities, it will provide... learning, the source of funding for student loans, and security policies and crime statistics. In response... misrepresentations relating to student financial assistance, assistance overcoming language barriers or learning...

Barriers and Facilitators of Health Literacy among D/deaf Individuals: A Review Article

PubMed Central

NASERIBOORIABADI, Tahereh; SADOUGHI, Farahnaz; SHEIKHTAHERI, Abbas

2017-01-01

Background: The implication of health literacy is the ability of individuals to find, understand, and use their required health information from reliable sources. It is an indicator of the individuals’ participation in their own medical decision-making. Deaf individuals have limited health literacy and poor health status due to low literacy. Hence, this review was conducted to understand barriers and facilitators influencing health literacy among deaf community. Methods: We searched the ISI Web of Sciences, Scopus, and Medline from 1987 to 2016. Seventy-three papers were analyzed thematically. Results: We found three primary themes, including inadequate health literacy, barriers, and facilitators to accessing health information and health care services among deaf individuals. Facilitators were composed of four sub-theme including legal activities protecting the right of deaf patients to accessing health services, training health professionals about effective communication with deaf patients, providing sign language interpreter services, and developing deaf-tailored educational health programs and materials. Conclusion: Closing the deaf cultural gap and their limited access to health information are achievable through the removal of the communication barriers, allowing deaf individuals with more access to health learning opportunities, and informing the hearing community about the communicative skills of deaf individuals. PMID:29167764

Preliminary study of online machine translation use of nursing literature: quality evaluation and perceived usability

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Japanese nurses are increasingly required to read published international research in clinical, educational, and research settings. Language barriers are a significant obstacle, and online machine translation (MT) is a tool that can be used to address this issue. We examined the quality of Google Translate® (English to Japanese and Korean to Japanese), which is a representative online MT, using a previously verified evaluation method. We also examined the perceived usability and current use of online MT among Japanese nurses. Findings Randomly selected nursing abstracts were translated and then evaluated for intelligibility and usability by 28 participants, including assistants and research associates from nursing universities throughout Japan. They answered a questionnaire about their online MT use. From simple comparison of mean scores between two language pairs, translation quality was significantly better, with respect to both intelligibility and usability, for Korean-Japanese than for English-Japanese. Most respondents perceived a language barrier. Online MT had been used by 61% of the respondents and was perceived as not useful enough. Conclusion Nursing articles translated from Korean into Japanese by an online MT system could be read at an acceptable level of comprehension, but the same could not be said for English-Japanese translations. Respondents with experience using online MT used it largely to grasp the overall meanings of the original text. Enrichment in technical terms appeared to be the key to better usability. Users will be better able to use MT outputs if they improve their foreign language proficiency as much as possible. Further research is being conducted with a larger sample size and detailed analysis. PMID:23151362

A qualitative study on healthcare professionals' perceived barriers to insulin initiation in a multi-ethnic population.

PubMed

Lee, Yew Kong; Lee, Ping Yein; Ng, Chirk Jenn

2012-07-04

Nationwide surveys have shown that the prevalence of diabetes rates in Malaysia have almost doubled in the past ten years; yet diabetes control remains poor and insulin therapy is underutilized. This study aimed to explore healthcare professionals' views on barriers to starting insulin therapy in people with type 2 diabetes. Healthcare professionals consisting of general practitioners (n = 11), family medicine specialists (n = 10), medical officers (n = 8), government policy makers (n = 4), diabetes educators (n = 3) and endocrinologists (n = 2) were interviewed. A semi-structured topic guide was used to guide the interviews by trained facilitators. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using a thematic analysis approach. Insulin initiation was found to be affected by patient, healthcare professional and system factors. Patients' barriers include culture-specific barriers such as the religious purity of insulin, preferred use of complementary medication and perceived lethality of insulin therapy. Healthcare professionals' barriers include negative attitudes towards insulin therapy and the 'legacy effect' of old insulin guidelines; whilst system barriers highlight the lack of resources, language and communication challenges. Tackling the issue of insulin initiation should not only happen during clinical consultations. It requires health education to emphasise the progressive nature of diabetes and the eventuality of insulin therapy at early stage of the illness. Healthcare professionals should be trained how to initiate insulin and communicate effectively with patients from various cultural and religious backgrounds.

Language support for linguistic minority chronic hepatitis B/C patients: an exploratory study of availability and clinicians' perceptions of language barriers in six European countries.

PubMed

Falla, Abby M; Veldhuijzen, Irene K; Ahmad, Amena A; Levi, Miriam; Richardus, Jan Hendrik

2017-02-20

Language support for linguistic minorities can improve patient safety, clinical outcomes and the quality of health care. Most chronic hepatitis B/C infections in Europe are detected among people born in endemic countries mostly in Africa, Asia and Central/Eastern Europe, groups that may experience language barriers when accessing health care services in their host countries. We investigated availability of interpreters and translated materials for linguistic minority hepatitis B/C patients. We also investigated clinicians' agreement that language barriers are explanations of three scenarios: the low screening uptake of hepatitis B/C screening, the lack of screening in primary care, and why cases do not reach specialist care. An online survey was developed, translated and sent to experts in five health care services involved in screening or treating viral hepatitis in six European countries: Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom (UK). The five areas of health care were: general practice/family medicine, antenatal care, health care for asylum seekers, sexual health and specialist secondary care. We measured availability using a three-point ordinal scale ('very common', 'variable or not routine' and 'rarely or never'). We measured agreement using a five-point Likert scale. We received 238 responses (23% response rate, N = 1026) from representatives in each health care field in each country. Interpreters are common in the UK, the Netherlands and Spain but variable or rare in Germany, Hungary and Italy. Translated materials are rarely/never available in Hungary, Italy and Spain but commonly or variably available in the Netherlands, Germany and the UK. Differing levels of agreement that language barriers explain the three scenarios are seen across the countries. Professionals in countries with most infrequent availability (Hungary and Italy) disagree strongest that language barriers are explanations. Our findings show pronounced differences between countries in availability of interpreters, differences that mirror socio-cultural value systems of 'difference-sensitive' and 'difference-blindness'. Improved language support is needed given the complex natural history of hepatitis B/C, the recognised barriers to screening and care, and the large undiagnosed burden among (potentially) linguistic minority migrant groups.

Command History. United States Military Assistance Command, Vietnam 1965. Sanitized

DTIC Science & Technology

1965-01-01

support elements within the ARM battalion 4 ese methods of encadrement were studied in relation to language , security, support, mutual US/ARYN acceptance...problema, and conditions and capabilities within ARYN units, Problew comn to all three methods were the language barrier, increased ewosure of US...DECCU•(ACV took the position that US assmption of command was neither feasible nor desirable, vwng to the language barrier as won as the probable non

Found Opportunities for Social Participation: Facilitating Inclusion of Adults with Aphasia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howe, Tami

2017-01-01

Lack of communicatively supportive opportunities for social participation is a critical barrier for many people with aphasia. Speech-language pathologists need to address this barrier by playing a key role in ensuring that adults with aphasia have appropriate social participation choices in their communities. Speech-language pathologists may…

An Empirical Investigation into Programming Language Syntax

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stefik, Andreas; Siebert, Susanna

2013-01-01

Recent studies in the literature have shown that syntax remains a significant barrier to novice computer science students in the field. While this syntax barrier is known to exist, whether and how it varies across programming languages has not been carefully investigated. For this article, we conducted four empirical studies on programming…

Sociocultural and linguistic boundaries influencing intercultural communication between nurses and Moroccan patients in southern Spain: a focused ethnography

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background During the last 25 years, cultural diversity has increased substantially with global migration. In more recent years this has become highly evident in the south of Spain with its steadily increasing Moroccan population. The accompanying differences in ethnocultural values and traditions between the host and newcomer populations may greatly impact healthcare interactions and thus also effective provision of care. This landscape provides for excellent exploration of intercultural communication in healthcare settings and elucidation of possible ways to overcome existing barriers to provision of culturally competent care by nurses. This study aimed to ascertain how nurses perceive their intercultural communication with Moroccan patients and what barriers are evident which may be preventing effective communication and care. Methods A focused ethnography was conducted with semi-structured interviews of 32 nurses in three public hospitals in southern Spain. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim before undergoing translation and back-translation between Spanish and English. Data was managed, classified and ordered with the aid of AQUAD.6 (Günter L. Huber, Tübingen, Germany) qualitative data analysis software. Results As an important dimension of cultural competence, findings from the interviews with nurses in this study were interpreted within the framework of intercultural communication. Various barriers, for which we have termed “boundaries”, seem to exist preventing effective communication between nurses and their patients. The substantial language barrier seems to negatively affect communication. Relations between the nurses and their Moroccan patients are also marked by prejudices and social stereotypes which likely compromise the provision of culturally appropriate care. Conclusions The language barrier may compromise nursing care delivery and could be readily overcome by implementation of professional interpretation within the hospital settings. Moreover, it is essential that the nurses of southern Spain are educated in the provision of culturally appropriate and sensitive care. PMID:23705680

Ethnic aged discrimination and disparities in health and social care: a question of social justice.

PubMed

Johnstone, Megan-Jane; Kanitsaki, Olga

2008-09-01

Older overseas-born Australians of diverse cultural and language backgrounds experience significant disparities in their health and social care needs and support systems. Despite being identified as a 'special needs' group, the ethnic aged in Australia are generally underserved by local health and social care services, experience unequal burdens of disease and encounter cultural and language barriers to accessing appropriate health and social care compared to the average Australian-born population. While a range of causes have been suggested to explain these disparities, rarely has the possibility of cultural racism been considered. In this article, it is suggested that cultural racism be named as a possible cause of ethnic aged disparities and disadvantage in health and social care. It is further suggested that unless cultural racism is named as a structural mechanism by which ethnic aged disparities in health and social care have been created and maintained, redressing them will remain difficult.

Legal barriers in accessing opioid medicines: results of the ATOME quick scan of national legislation of eastern European countries.

PubMed

Vranken, Marjolein J M; Mantel-Teeuwisse, Aukje K; Jünger, Saskia; Radbruch, Lukas; Lisman, John; Scholten, Willem; Payne, Sheila; Lynch, Tom; Schutjens, Marie-Hélène D B

2014-12-01

Overregulation of controlled medicines is one of the factors contributing to limited access to opioid medicines. The purpose of this study was to identify legal barriers to access to opioid medicines in 12 Eastern European countries participating in the Access to Opioid Medication in Europa project, using a quick scan method. A quick scan method to identify legal barriers was developed focusing on eight different categories of barriers. Key experts in 12 European countries were requested to send relevant legislation. Legislation was quick scanned using World Health Organization guidelines. Overly restrictive provisions and provisions that contain stigmatizing language and incorrect definitions were identified. The selected provisions were scored into two categories: 1) barrier and 2) uncertain, and reviewed by two authors. A barrier was recorded if both authors agreed the selected provision to be a barrier (Category 1). National legislation was obtained from 11 of 12 countries. All 11 countries showed legal barriers in the areas of prescribing (most frequently observed barrier). Ten countries showed barriers in the areas of dispensing and showed stigmatizing language and incorrect use of definitions in their legislation. Most barriers were identified in the legislation of Bulgaria, Greece, Lithuania, Serbia, and Slovenia. The Cypriot legislation showed the fewest total number of barriers. The selected countries have in common as main barriers prescribing and dispensing restrictions, the use of stigmatizing language, and incorrect use of definitions. The practical impact of these barriers identified using a quick scan method needs to be validated by other means. Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Harnessing the Barriers That Impact on Students' English Language Learning (ELL)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liton, Hussain Ahmed

2016-01-01

This study strives to single out the barriers and obstacles in terms of academic, course curriculum system and socio-cultural issues that impact on students' learning English language adversely in the prep year level at Jazan University, Saudi Arabia. This paper especially focuses on the factors affecting EFL ("English as a Foreign…

Teaching English Language Learners: Strategies for Overcoming Barriers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Helfrich, Sara R.; Bosh, Amy J.

2011-01-01

The number of English language learners (ELLs) in today's classrooms is increasing. In this article, the authors identify four perceived barriers beginning and veteran teachers face in teaching literacy to ELLs: the lack of understanding of the role of literacy in other cultures, the teacher's inability to differentiate instruction to meet the…

Structural Determinants of Health among Im/Migrants in the Indoor Sex Industry: Experiences of Workers and Managers/Owners in Metropolitan Vancouver

PubMed Central

Krüsi, Andrea; Zhang, Emma; Chettiar, Jill; Shannon, Kate

2017-01-01

Background Globally, im/migrant women are overrepresented in the sex industry and experience disproportionate health inequities. Despite evidence that the health impacts of migration may vary according to the timing and stage of migration (e.g., early arrival vs. long-term migration), limited evidence exists regarding social and structural determinants of health across different stages of migration, especially among im/migrants engaged in sex work. Our aim was to describe and analyze the evolving social and structural determinants of health and safety across the arrival and settlement process for im/migrants in the indoor sex industry. Methods We analyzed qualitative interviews conducted with 44 im/migrant sex workers and managers/owners working in indoor sex establishments (e.g., massage parlours, micro-brothels) in Metropolitan Vancouver, Canada in 2011; quantitative data from AESHA, a larger community-based cohort, were used to describe socio-demographic and social and structural characteristics of im/migrant sex workers. Results Based on quantitative data among 198 im/migrant workers in AESHA, 78.3% were Chinese-born, the median duration in Canada was 6 years, and most (86.4%) serviced clients in formal indoor establishments. Qualitative narratives revealed diverse pathways into sex work upon arrival to Canada, including language barriers to conventional labour markets and the higher pay and relative flexibility of sex work. Once engaged in sex work, fear associated with police raids (e.g., immigration concerns, sex work disclosure) and language barriers to sexual negotiation and health, social and legal supports posed pervasive challenges to health, safety and human rights during long-term settlement in Canada. Conclusions Findings highlight the critical influences of criminalization, language barriers, and stigma and discrimination related to sex work and im/migrant status in shaping occupational health and safety for im/migrants engaged in sex work. Interventions and policy reforms that emphasize human rights and occupational health are needed to promote health and wellbeing across the arrival and settlement process. PMID:28141835

Participation in treatment decision-making among Chinese-Australian women with breast cancer.

PubMed

Kwok, Cannas; Koo, Fung Kuen

2017-03-01

Using Confucian philosophy as a conceptual framework, this article examines the extent to which cultural values and language affect the participation preferences and experiences of the breast cancer treatment decision-making (TDM) process among Chinese women with breast cancer in Australia. Three focus groups were conducted with 23 Chinese-Australian women diagnosed with breast cancer in their native language (Mandarin and Cantonese). Each interview was translated and transcribed. Content analysis was used to uncover the major themes. Four typologies emerged: the patient as an active decision maker, the patient as a passive decision maker, the patient as a reluctant decision maker and the patient as a reluctant passive decision maker. Language barriers, cultural expectation of doctor's role and family role in Chinese culture appear as influential factors in TDM process among this group of women. Intervention to improve doctors' cultural sensitivities in order to help them assess women's role preferences in TDM and the ability of doctors to communicate in a culturally appropriate manner, may improve the process of breast cancer TDM among women from Chinese background.

Contribution of spoken language and socio-economic background to adolescents' educational achievement at age 16 years.

PubMed

Spencer, Sarah; Clegg, Judy; Stackhouse, Joy; Rush, Robert

2017-03-01

Well-documented associations exist between socio-economic background and language ability in early childhood, and between educational attainment and language ability in children with clinically referred language impairment. However, very little research has looked at the associations between language ability, educational attainment and socio-economic background during adolescence, particularly in populations without language impairment. To investigate: (1) whether adolescents with higher educational outcomes overall had higher language abilities; and (2) associations between adolescent language ability, socio-economic background and educational outcomes, specifically in relation to Mathematics, English Language and English Literature GCSE grade. A total of 151 participants completed five standardized language assessments measuring vocabulary, comprehension of sentences and spoken paragraphs, and narrative skills and one nonverbal assessment when between 13 and 14 years old. These data were compared with the participants' educational achievement obtained upon leaving secondary education (16 years old). Univariate logistic regressions were employed to identify those language assessments and demographic factors that were associated with achieving a targeted A * -C grade in English Language, English Literature and Mathematics General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) at 16 years. Further logistic regressions were then conducted to examine further the contribution of socio-economic background and spoken language skills in the multivariate models. Vocabulary, comprehension of sentences and spoken paragraphs, and mean length utterance in a narrative task along with socio-economic background contributed to whether participants achieved an A * -C grade in GCSE Mathematics and English Language and English Literature. Nonverbal ability contributed to English Language and Mathematics. The results of multivariate logistic regressions then found that vocabulary skills were particularly relevant to all three GCSE outcomes. Socio-economic background only remained important for English Language, once language assessment scores and demographic information were considered. Language ability, and in particular vocabulary, plays an important role for educational achievement. Results confirm a need for ongoing support for spoken language ability throughout secondary education and a potential role for speech and language therapy provision in the continuing drive to reduce the gap in educational attainment between groups from differing socio-economic backgrounds. © 2016 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

Participation of Asian-American women in cancer treatment research: a pilot study.

PubMed

Nguyen, Tung T; Somkin, Carol P; Ma, Yifei; Fung, Lei-Chun; Nguyen, Thoa

2005-01-01

Few Asian-American women participate in cancer treatment trials. In a pilot study to assess barriers to participation, we mailed surveys to 132 oncologists and interviewed 19 Asian-American women with cancer from Northern California. Forty-four oncologists responded. They reported as barriers language problems, lack of culturally relevant cancer information, and complex protocols. Most stated that they informed Asian-American women about treatment trials. Only four women interviewed knew about trials. Other patient-identified barriers were fear of side effects, language problems, competing needs, and fear of experimentation. Family decision making was a barrier for both oncologists and patients. Compared to non-Asian oncologists, more Asian oncologists have referred Asian-American women to industry trials and identified barriers similar to patients' reports. Our findings indicate that Asian-American women need to be informed about cancer treatment trials, linguistic barriers should be addressed, and future research should evaluate cultural barriers such as family decision making.

Barriers in Implementing E-Learning in Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences

PubMed Central

Lakbala, Parvin

2016-01-01

Background: E-learning provides an alternative way for higher educational institutes to deliver knowledge to learners at a distance, rather than the traditional way. The aim of this study is to identify the barrier factors of e-learning programs in Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences (HUMS) in respect of the students and lecturers’ point of view. Methods: A cross-sectional study based on a questionnaire was conducted among 286 of students and lecturers in the nursing, midwifery and paramedic schools of HUMS. Two hundred and eighty-six participants filled in the questionnaire: 256 students, and 30 lecturers. Results: Results of the study showed a lack of proper training in e-learning courses of the university 182 (69.1%), limited communication with the instructor 174 (68%) and the learners dominance of English language 174 (68%) showed the greatest importance for the students. The awareness about e-learning program was 80% and 43% among lecturers and students respectively. The dominance of English language 26 (86.7%) and lack of research grants for e-learning 23 (76.6%) and lack of proper training on e-learning courses from the university 20 (66.7 %) were the most important barrier factors of implementing e-learning for lecturers. E-learning courses to supplement classroom teaching was a solution that mentioned by the majority of students 240 (93.8%) and lecturers 29 (96.7%) in this study. Conclusions: The positive perception of e-learning is an important consequence effect in the future, educational development of nursing, midwifery and paramedic schools. PMID:26925885

Extreme heat and cultural and linguistic minorities in Australia: perceptions of stakeholders.

PubMed

Hansen, Alana; Nitschke, Monika; Saniotis, Arthur; Benson, Jill; Tan, Yan; Smyth, Val; Wilson, Leigh; Han, Gil-Soo; Mwanri, Lillian; Bi, Peng

2014-06-03

Despite acclimatisation to hot weather, many individuals in Australia are adversely affected by extreme heat each summer, placing added pressure on the health sector. In terms of public health, it is therefore important to identify vulnerable groups, particularly in the face of a warming climate. International evidence points to a disparity in heat-susceptibility in certain minority groups, although it is unknown if this occurs in Australia. With cultural diversity increasing, the aim of this study was to explore how migrants from different cultural backgrounds and climate experiences manage periods of extreme heat in Australia. A qualitative study was undertaken across three Australian cities, involving interviews and focus groups with key informants including stakeholders involved in multicultural service provision and community members. Thematic analysis and a framework approach were used to analyse the data. Whilst migrants and refugees generally adapt well upon resettlement, there are sociocultural barriers encountered by some that hinder environmental adaptation to periods of extreme heat in Australia. These barriers include socioeconomic disadvantage and poor housing, language barriers to the access of information, isolation, health issues, cultural factors and lack of acclimatisation. Most often mentioned as being at risk were new arrivals, people in new and emerging communities, and older migrants. With increasing diversity within populations, it is important that the health sector is aware that during periods of extreme heat there may be disparities in the adaptive capacity of minority groups, underpinned by sociocultural and language-based vulnerabilities in migrants and refugees. These factors need to be considered by policymakers when formulating and disseminating heat health strategies.

Language and style: A barrier to neurosurgical research and advancement in Latin America

PubMed Central

Ashfaq, Adeel; Lazareff, Jorge

2017-01-01

Background: The neurosurgical burden in Latin America is understudied and likely underestimated, thus it is imperative to improve quality, training, and delivery of neurosurgical care. A significant aspect of this endeavor is for Latin America to become an integral aspect of the global neurosurgical community, however, there is a paucity of ideology and literature coming from Central and South America. We sought to explore neurosurgical dialogue originating from Latin America as well as barriers to the advancement of neurosurgery in this region. Methods: We conducted a systematic literature review exploring research originating in Latin America in three international neurosurgical journals – Journal of Neurosurgery, Surgical Neurology International, and World Neurosurgery. We utilized PubMed search algorithms to identify articles. Inclusion criteria included publication within the three aforementioned journals, author affiliation with Latin American institutions, and publication within the specified time frame of January 2014 to July 2017. Results: There were 7469 articles identified that met the search criteria. Of these 7469 articles, 326 (4.4%) were from Latin American nations. Conclusion: Our data suggests a relatively low percentage of neurosurgical research originating from Latin America, suggesting a significant lack of participation in the global neurosurgical community. Barriers to global scientific communication include language, rhetorical style, culture, history, biases, funding, and governmental support. Despite challenges, Latin America is making strides towards improvement including the development of neurosurgical societies, as well as international collaborative training and research programs. We consider our report to be a valid initiation of discussion of the broader issue of neurosurgical communication. PMID:29404195

Utilization of a Text and Translation Application for Communication With a Foreign Deaf Family: A Call for Validation of This Technology-A Case Report.

PubMed

Fernandez, Patrick G; Brockel, Megan A; Lipscomb, Lisa L; Ing, Richard J; Tailounie, Muayyad

2017-07-15

Effective communication with patients is essential to quality care. Obviously, language barriers significantly impact this and can increase the risk of poor patient outcomes. Smartphones and mobile health technology are valuable resources that are beginning to break down language barriers in health care. We present a case of a challenging language barrier where successful perioperative communication was achieved using mobile technology. Although quite beneficial, use of technology that is not validated exposes providers to unnecessary medicolegal risk. We hope to highlight the need for validation of such technology to ensure that these tools are an effective way to accurately communicate with patients in the perioperative setting.

Communication rehabilitation in sub-Saharan Africa: The role of speech and language therapists

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Background Workforce factors present a significant barrier to the development of rehabilitation services for people with communication disabilities in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Exploring how the work of speech and language therapists (SLTs) in the region is organised and delivered can provide insight into existing services, areas for future workforce development and improved rehabilitation access for people with communication disability. Objectives This paper describes the employment and service provision patterns and work roles of a sample of SLTs in SSA. Method A broad, purpose-designed, mixed-methods survey was designed to collect data from SLTs living in Anglophone countries of SSA. Descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis were undertaken. This paper reports on a subset of data from the wider survey. Results A description of the employment and work roles of the 33 respondents to the survey and characteristics of their service users is presented. SLTs were commonly employed within private and not-for-profit sectors and frequently worked in temporary jobs. SLTs engaged in a range of work roles, including capacity building and training others. Services were provided by SLTs across age ranges, health conditions and settings, with paediatric, urban services commonly reported. Costs for service users and urban-centred services give indications of barriers to service access. Conclusion Knowledge of the way in which speech and language therapy services are organised and provided has the potential to shape the development of communication disability rehabilitation in SSA. This research has identified a range of issues requiring consideration as the profession develops and grows. PMID:29707516

Crashing the Language Barrier! The English Language: The Way It Is.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray, Dorothy S.

Intended for adults in search of improved language skills and their leaders, this handbook provides opportunities to strengthen abilities to listen, observe, organize, solve problems, evaluate, and draw tentative conclusions about the English language. The handbook contains a proposition about the English language, suggests procedures to confirm…

Broken English, broken bones? Mechanisms linking language proficiency and occupational health in a Montreal garment factory.

PubMed

Premji, Stéphanie; Messing, Karen; Lippel, Katherine

2008-01-01

Language barriers are often cited as a factor contributing to ethnic inequalities in occupational health; however, little information is available about the mechanisms at play. The authors describe the multiple ways in which language influences occupational health in a large garment factory employing many immigrants in Montreal. Between 2004 and 2006, individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 women and 10 men from 14 countries of birth. Interviews were conducted in French and English, Canada's official languages, as well as in non-official languages with the help of colleague-interpreters. Observation within the workplace was also carried out at various times during the project. The authors describe how proficiency in the official languages influences occupational health by affecting workers' ability to understand and communicate information, and supporting relationships that can affect work-related health. They also describe workers' strategies to address communication barriers and discuss the implications of these strategies from an occupational health standpoint. Along with the longer-term objectives of integrating immigrants into the linguistic majority and addressing structural conditions that can affect health, policies and practices need to be put in place to protect the health and well-being of those who face language barriers in the short term.

Discriminating Children with Language Impairment among English-Language Learners from Diverse First-Language Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paradis, Johanne; Schneider, Phyllis; Duncan, Tamara Sorenson

2013-01-01

Purpose: In this study, the authors sought to determine whether a combination of English-language measures and a parent questionnaire on first-language development could adequately discriminate between English-language learners (ELLs) with and without language impairment (LI) when children had diverse first-language backgrounds. Method:…

Barriers beyond words: cancer, culture, and translation in a community of Russian speakers.

PubMed

Dohan, Daniel; Levintova, Marya

2007-11-01

Language and culture relate in complex ways. Addressing this complexity in the context of language translation is a challenge when caring for patients with limited English proficiency (LEP). To examine processes of care related to language, culture and translation in an LEP population is the objective of this study. We used community based participatory research to examine the experiences of Russian-speaking cancer patients in San Francisco, California. A Russian Cancer Information Taskforce (RCIT), including community-based organizations, local government, and clinics, participated in all phases of the study. A purposeful sample of 74 individuals were the participants of the study. The RCIT shaped research themes and facilitated access to participants. Methods were focus groups, individual interviews, and participant observation. RCIT reviewed data and provided guidance in interpreting results. Four themes emerged. (1) Local Russian-language resources were seen as inadequate and relatively unavailable compared to other non-English languages; (2) a taboo about the word "cancer" led to language "games" surrounding disclosure; (3) this taboo, and other dynamics of care, reflected expectations that Russian speakers derived from experiences in their countries of origin; (4) using interpreters as cultural brokers or establishing support groups for Russian speakers could help address barriers. The language barriers experienced by this LEP population reflect cultural and linguistic issues. Providers should consider partnering with trained interpreters to address the intertwining of language and culture.

Basic Numeracy Abilities of Xhosa Reception Year Students in South Africa: Language Policy Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feza, Nosisi Nellie

2016-01-01

Language in mathematics learning and teaching has a significant role in influencing performance. Literature on language in mathematics learning has evolved from language as a barrier to language as a cultural tool, and recently more research has argued for use of home language as an instructional tool in mathematics classrooms. However, the…

Beating the Language Barrier in Science Education: In-Service Educators' Coping with Slow Learners in Mauritius

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cyparsade, Mohun; Auckloo, Pritee; Belath, Ismut; Dookhee, Helina; Hurreeram, Navin

2013-01-01

This study describes how in-service teachers in the pre-vocational sector in Mauritius adopted specific strategies to overcome the language barrier in the learning of science (Van Driel, Verloop & de Vos, 1998). Students of form III were taught few basic ideas related to "Earth & Space" through the use of role play and ICT. The…

"I'm Telling You ... The Language Barrier Is the Most, the Biggest Challenge": Barriers to Education among Karen Refugee Women in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watkins, Paula G.; Razee, Husna; Richters, Juliet

2012-01-01

This article examines factors influencing English language education, participation and achievement among Karen refugee women in Australia. Data were drawn from ethnographic observations and interviews with 67 participants between 2009 and 2011, collected as part of a larger qualitative study exploring the well-being of Karen refugee women in…

Creating Inclusive EAL Classrooms: How Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) Instructors Understand and Mitigate Barriers for Students Who Have Experienced Trauma

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilbur, Amea

2016-01-01

This article draws on my dissertation, "Creating Inclusive EAL Classrooms: How LINC Instructors Understand and Mitigate Barriers for Students Who Have Experienced Trauma." The article explores some assumptions and understandings that English as an Additional Language (EAL) teachers bring to teaching students believed to have experienced…

The Open Translation MOOC: Creating Online Communities to Transcend Linguistic Barriers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beaven, Tita; Comas-Quinn, Anna; Hauck, Mirjam; de los Arcos, Beatriz; Lewis, Timothy

2013-01-01

One of the main barriers to the reuse of Open Educational Resources (OER) is language (OLnet, 2009). OER may be available but in a language that users cannot access, so a preliminary step to reuse is their translation or localization. One of the obvious solutions to the vast effort required to translate OER is to crowd-source the translation, as…

Use of Language Sample Analysis by School-Based SLPs: Results of a Nationwide Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pavelko, Stacey L.; Owens, Robert E., Jr.; Ireland, Marie; Hahs-Vaughn, Debbie L.

2016-01-01

Purpose: This article examines use of language sample analysis (LSA) by school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs), including characteristics of language samples, methods of transcription and analysis, barriers to LSA use, and factors affecting LSA use, such as American Speech-Language-Hearing Association certification, number of years'…

Conflicting Knowledges: Barriers to Language Continuation in the Kimberley

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bedford, Patsy Ngalu; Casson, Siobhan K.

2010-01-01

The Kimberley Language Resource Centre (KLRC) earned its status over three decades as the representative body for Kimberley languages. In 2004, the organisation started to respond to grassroots concerns about the lack of language speakers in the younger generations. Aboriginal people are also connecting loss of languages to loss of bio-cultural…

Explanations, explanations, explanations: how do patients with limited English construct narrative accounts in multi-lingual, multi-ethnic settings, and how can GPs interpret them?

PubMed

Moss, Becky; Roberts, Celia

2005-08-01

The gap is widening between understanding the subtle ways patients and GPs manage their talk, and superficial discussion of the 'language barrier' among linguistic minority patients. All patients have to explain themselves, not just those for whom English is their first or main language. Patients' explanations reflect how they want the doctor to perceive them as a patient and as a person: they reveal patients' identities. Yet interpretations are not easy when patients' style of talking English is influenced by their first language and cultural background. To explore in detail how patients with limited English and GPs jointly overcome misunderstandings in explanations. Using discourse analysis and conversation analysis, we examine how GPs and their patients with limited English negotiate explanations and collaborate to manage, repair or prevent understanding problems. 31% of patients said English was not their first language. Misunderstandings arise owing to a range of linguistic and cultural factors, including stress and intonation patterns, vocabulary, the way a patient sequences their narrative, and patient and GP pursuing different agendas. When talk itself is the problem, patients' explanations can lead to misunderstandings, which GPs have to repair if they cannot prevent. Careful interpretation by skillful GPs can reveal patients' knowledge, experience and perspective.

Nursing unit environment associated with provision of language services in pediatric hospices

PubMed Central

Lindley, Lisa C.; Held, Mary L.; Henley, Kristen M.; Miller, Kathryn A.; Pedziwol, Katherine E.; Rumley, Laurie E.

2016-01-01

Background Provision of language services in pediatric hospice enables nurses to communicate effectively with patients who have limited English proficiency. Language barriers contribute to ethnic disparities in health care. While language service use corresponds with improved patient comprehension of illness and care options, we lack an understanding of how the nurse work environment affects the provision of these services. Methods Data were obtained from the 2007 National Home and Hospice Care Survey and included a study sample of 1,251 pediatric hospice agencies. Variable selection was guided by Structural Contingency Theory, which posits that organizational effectiveness is dependent upon how well an organization’s structure relates to its context. Using multivariate logistic regression, we analyzed the extent to which nursing unit environment predicted provision of translation services and interpreter services. Results The majority of hospices provided translation services (74.9%) and interpreter services (87.1%). Four variables predicted translation services: registered nurse (RN) unit size, RN leadership, RN medical expertise, and for-profit status. RN medical expertise and having a safety climate within the hospice corresponded with provision of interpreter services. Conclusions Findings indicate that nursing unit environment predict provision of language services. Hospices with more specialized RNs and a stronger safety climate might include staff who are dedicated to best care provision, including language services. This study provides valuable data on the nurse work environment as a predictor of language services provision, which can better serve patients with limited English proficiency, and ultimately reduce ethnic disparities in end-of-life care for children and their families. PMID:27059050

Barriers in access to home care services among ethnic minority and Dutch elderly--a qualitative study.

PubMed

Suurmond, Jeanine; Rosenmöller, Doenja L; El Mesbahi, Hakima; Lamkaddem, Majda; Essink-Bot, Marie-Louise

2016-02-01

Ethnic minority elderly have a high prevalence of functional limitations and chronic conditions compared to Dutch elderly. However, their use of home care services is low compared to Dutch elderly. Explore the barriers to access to home care services for Turkish, Moroccan Surinamese and ethnic Dutch elderly. Qualitative semi-structured group interviews and individual interviews. The Netherlands. Seven group interviews (n=50) followed by individual interviews (n=5) were conducted, in the preferred language of the participants. Results were ordered and reported according to a framework of access to health care services. This framework describes five dimensions of accessibility to generate access to health care services, from the perspective of the users: ability to perceive health needs, ability to seek health care, ability to reach, ability to pay and ability to engage. This study shows that while barriers are common among all groups, several specific barriers in access to home care services exist for ethnic minority elderly. Language and communication barriers as well as limited networks and a preference for informal care seem to mutually enforce each other, resulting in many barriers during the navigation process to home care. In order to provide equal access to home care for all who need it, the language and communication barriers should be tackled by home care services and home care nurses. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) nursing student success: a critical review of the literature.

PubMed

Olson, Mary Angela

2012-01-01

Many English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) nursing students struggle in nursing school for a multitude of reasons. The purpose of this critical review of the literature is to identify barriers and discover bridges to ESL nursing student success. Twenty-five articles were identified for the review. Language barriers were identified as the single most significant obstacle facing the ESL nursing student. Bridges to ESL nursing student success include enhancing language development and acculturation into the American mainstream culture. A broad range of strategies to promote student success are outlined and the role of the nurse educator in ESL nursing student success is also addressed.

Una formalizacion tentativa del problema de la barrera linguistica (A Tentative Formalization of the Problem of Linguistic Barriers).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zierer, Ernesto

1971-01-01

The formulas presented in this paper provide the means for showing the ease with which scientific information can be passed from one language into another. The formulas are based on several factors. The linguistic barrier can be measured to illustrate the relative degree of difference between two languages based on a comparison of vocabulary,…

Participation of Asian-American Women in Cancer Treatment Research: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Tung T.; Somkin, Carol P.; Ma, Yifei; Fung, Lei-Chun; Nguyen, Thoa

2006-01-01

Few Asian-American women participate in cancer treatment trials. In a pilot study to assess barriers to participation, we mailed surveys to 132 oncologists and interviewed 19 Asian-American women with cancer from Northern California. Forty-four oncologists responded. They reported as barriers language problems, lack of culturally relevant cancer information, and complex protocols. Most stated that they informed Asian-American women about treatment trials. Only four women interviewed knew about trials. Other patient-identified barriers were fear of side effects, language problems, competing needs, and fear of experimentation. Family decision making was a barrier for both oncologists and patients. Compared to non-Asian oncologists, more Asian oncologists have referred Asian-American women to industry trials and identified barriers similar to patients’ reports. Our findings indicate that Asian-American women need to be informed about cancer treatment trials, linguistic barriers should be addressed, and future research should evaluate cultural barriers such as family decision making. PMID:16287894

The Effect of Multilingual Facilitation on Active Participation in MOOCs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colas, Jean-François; Sloep, Peter B.; Garreta-Domingo, Muriel

2016-01-01

A new approach for overcoming the language and culture barriers to participation in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) is reported. It is hypothesised that the juxtaposition of English as the "language of instruction," used for interacting with course materials, and one's preferred language as the "language of participation,"…

Facilitators and barriers of participation in a longitudinal research on migrant families in Badalona (Spain): A qualitative approach.

PubMed

Hernando, Cristina; Sabidó, Meritxell; Casabona, Jordi

2018-01-01

Migrant populations are under-represented in health research. We conducted a community-based qualitative study with the aim to examine the willingness, barriers, facilitators and reasons for participating in longitudinal health research among migrants. In Badalona and Santa Coloma de Gramanet (Barcelona) from May to November 2014, 26 individual interviews and 8 discussion groups were conducted with a convenience sample of 76 migrants born in Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Morocco, Pakistan and China; and 9 key informants. Grounded Theory methods and thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Atlas-ti(R) software was used. Participants were willing to participate in health surveys and biological samples testing, and agreed to be re-contacted after 12 months. Participants agreed to the same participation for their children. Participants reported that undertaking biological samples and knowledge of the health status of their children were the greatest benefits of participation in health research. Barriers to participation reported by participants were language difficulties, time constraints and mobility issues. Facilitators of participation included offering complete and understandable information about the study objectives and procedures; offering interviewers with the same migrant background, gender, country of origin and socioeconomic status as participants; building trust through ensuring proximity, privacy and confidentiality; respecting cultural relationships; and receiving monetary compensation and test results. Focusing on migrant families instead of individuals may facilitate participation in the study. Despite being beneficial in general, receipt of monetary compensation, inclusion of questions related to sexual and reproductive health, and blood sample testing resulted in distrust for a small number of participants. The simultaneous use of several Internet tools was the most recommended tool for re-contact. Those with higher risk of mobility, greater language barriers and less Internet use were more difficult to re-contact. Study findings will help to improve participation and retention of migrants in longitudinal research. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Dual language versus English only support for bilingual children with hearing loss who use cochlear implants and hearing aids

PubMed Central

Bunta, Ferenc; Douglas, Michael; Dickson, Hanna; Cantu, Amy; Wickesberg, Jennifer; Gifford, René H.

2015-01-01

Background There is a critical need to better understand speech and language development in bilingual children learning two spoken languages who use cochlear implants (CIs) and hearing aids (HAs). The paucity of knowledge in this area poses a significant barrier to providing maximal communicative outcomes to a growing number of children who have a hearing loss and are learning multiple spoken languages. In fact, the number of bilingual individuals receiving CIs and HAs is rapidly increasing, and Hispanic children display a higher prevalence of hearing loss than the general population of the United States (e.g., Mehra, Eavey, & Keamy, 2009). In order to better serve bilingual children with CIs and HAs, appropriate and effective therapy approaches need to be designed and tested, based on research findings. Aims This study investigated the effects of supporting both the home language (Spanish) and the language of the majority culture (English) on language outcomes in bilingual children with hearing loss (HL) who use CIs and HAs as compared to their bilingual peers who receive English only support. Methods and Procedures Retrospective analyses of language measures were completed for two groups of Spanish-and English-speaking bilingual children with HL who use CIs and HAs matched on a range of demographic and socio-economic variables: those with dual language support versus their peers with English only support. Dependent variables included scores from the English version of the Preschool Language Scales, 4th edition. Results Bilingual children who received dual language support outperformed their peers who received English only support at statistically significant levels as measured by Total Language and Expressive Communication as raw and language age scores. No statistically significant group differences were found on Auditory Comprehension scores. Conclusions In addition to providing support in English, encouraging home language use and providing treatment support in the first language may help rather than hinder development of both English and the home language in bilingual children with hearing loss who use CIs and HAs. In fact, dual language support may yield better overall and expressive English language outcomes than English only support for this population. PMID:27017913

The Role of Oral Reading Fluency in ESL Reading Comprehension among Learners of Different First Language Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jiang, Xiangying

2016-01-01

This study discusses the construct of oral reading fluency and examines its relationship to reading comprehension among adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) learners of four first language (L1) backgrounds. One hundred and forty-nine adult learners of English with Arabic, Japanese, Spanish and Chinese language backgrounds participated in this…

[Chronic Disease Self-management Support for People with a Migrant Background: towards a Peer-led Group Program to Improve Equity in Health].

PubMed

Zanoni, S; Gabriel, E; Salis Gross, C; Deppeler, M; Haslbeck, J

2018-03-01

Limited health literacy and language skills are barriers for people with a migrant background (PMB) to access health information and healthcare services, in particular for those living with chronic conditions. During the introduction of a peer-led Stanford chronic disease self-management course in Switzerland, special interest in the program as well as motivation of PMB was observed. In response, we examined if the program can be implemented in German for people with limited language skills. This explorative study is part of the evaluation study on introducing the adapted Stanford program in Switzerland and German-speaking Europe. Following the principles of Grounded Theory, semi-structured focus group and individual interviews were conducted with course participants, leaders and coordinators (n=30) and analyzed thematically. The focus was on the feasibility, satisfaction and course content. In principle, the program seems to have positive value for PMB, may work for them in German, have high relevance for everyday life and give an impetus for social integration. The need for and extent of modification of the program for PMB has to be further explored in order to make it more accessible for vulnerable groups. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Limited English proficient Hmong- and Spanish-speaking patients’ perceptions of the quality of interpreter services

PubMed Central

Lor, Maichou; Xiong, Phia; Schweia, Rebecca J.; Bowers, Barbara; Jacobs, Elizabeth A.

2015-01-01

Background Language barriers are a large and growing problem for patients in the U.S. and around the world. Interpreter services are a standard solution for addressing language barriers and most research has focused on utilization of interpreter services and their effect on health outcomes for patients who do not speak the same language as their healthcare providers including nurses. However, there is limited research on patients’ perceptions of these interpreter services. Objective To examine Hmong- and Spanish-speaking patients’ perceptions of interpreter service quality in the context of receiving cancer preventive services. Methods Twenty limited English proficient Hmong (n=10) and Spanish-speaking participants (N=10) ranging in age from 33 to 75 years were interviewed by two bilingual researchers in a Midwestern state. Interviews were audio taped, transcribed verbatim, and translated into English. Analysis was done using conventional content analysis. Results The two groups shared perceptions about the quality of interpreter services as variable along three dimensions. Specifically, both groups evaluated quality of interpreters based on the interpreters’ ability to provide: (a) literal interpretation, (b) cultural interpretation, and (c) emotional interpretation during the health care encounter. The groups differed, however, on how they described the consequences of poor interpretation quality. Hmong participants described how poor quality interpretation could lead to: (a) poor interpersonal relationships among patients, providers, and interpreters, (b) inability of patients to follow through with treatment plans, and (c) emotional distress for patients. Conclusions Our study highlights the fact that patients are discerning consumers of interpreter services; and could be effective partners in efforts to reform and enhance interpreter services. PMID:25865517

The Effects of English as a Second Language Courses on Language Minority Community College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodara, Michelle

2015-01-01

English as a second language (ESL) courses seek to address a primary barrier to college success for language minority students: second language issues that can inhibit their success in college-level coursework. But, there is a limited understanding of the effects of ESL on college student outcomes. Using a rich, longitudinal data set that includes…

Complementary Reversing Language Shift Strategies in Education: The Importance of Adult Heritage Learners of Threatened Minority Languages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith-Christmas, Cassie; Armstrong, Timothy Currie

2014-01-01

Heritage learners of minority languages can play a lynchpin role in reversing language shift (RLS) in their families; however, in order to enact this role, they must first overcome certain barriers to re-integrate the minority language into the home domain. Using a combination of conversation and narrative analysis methods, we demonstrate how both…

Language Barriers Impact Access to Services for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

PubMed

St Amant, Helaine G; Schrager, Sheree M; Peña-Ricardo, Carolina; Williams, Marian E; Vanderbilt, Douglas L

2018-02-01

Racial and ethnic disparities in accessing health care have been described in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In a retrospective chart review of 152 children with ASD, children of parents whose primary language was English were significantly more likely to have both social skills and communication goals within their individualized education plan (IEP) compared to children of parents whose primary language was not English. Additionally, children of primary English speakers received significantly more hours of direct services from their state disability program. After controlling for demographic covariates, findings suggest that language barriers may negatively affect parents' abilities to access health care services for their child with ASD. Acculturation factors must therefore be considered when analyzing disparities in autism.

In the right words: addressing language and culture in providing health care.

PubMed

2003-08-01

As part of its continuing mission to serve trustees, executives, and staff of health foundations and corporate giving programs, Grantmakers In Health (GIH) convened a group of experts from philanthropy, research, health care practice, and policy on April 4, 2003, to discuss the roles of language and culture in providing effective health care. During this Issue Dialogue, In the Right Words: Addressing Language and Culture in Providing Health Care, health grantmakers and experts from policy and practice participated in an open exchange of ideas and perspectives on language access and heard from fellow grantmakers who are funding innovative programs in this area. Together they explored ways to effectively support comprehensive language services, including the use of interpreters and translation of written materials. This Issue Brief synthesizes key points from the day's discussion with a background paper previously prepared for Issue Dialogue participants. It focuses on the challenges and opportunities involved with ensuring language access for the growing number of people who require it. Sections include: recent immigration trends and demographic changes; the effect of language barriers on health outcomes and health care processes; laws and policies regarding the provision of language services to patients, including an overview of public financing mechanisms; strategies for improving language access, including enhancing access in delivery settings, promoting advocacy and policy change, improving interpreter training, and advancing research; and roles for foundations in supporting improved language access, including examples of current activities. The Issue Dialogue focused mainly on activities and programs that ensure linguistic access to health care for all patients. Although language and culture are clearly inseparable, a full exploration of the field of cultural competence and initiatives that promote its application to the health care setting are beyond the scope of this Issue Brief. The day's discussion did, however, raise provocative issues of culture that are reflected throughout this report.

Engaging the Deaf American Sign Language Community: Lessons From a Community-Based Participatory Research Center

PubMed Central

McKee, Michael; Thew, Denise; Starr, Matthew; Kushalnagar, Poorna; Reid, John T.; Graybill, Patrick; Velasquez, Julia; Pearson, Thomas

2013-01-01

Background Numerous publications demonstrate the importance of community-based participatory research (CBPR) in community health research, but few target the Deaf community. The Deaf community is understudied and underrepresented in health research despite suspected health disparities and communication barriers. Objectives The goal of this paper is to share the lessons learned from the implementation of CBPR in an understudied community of Deaf American Sign Language (ASL) users in the greater Rochester, New York, area. Methods We review the process of CBPR in a Deaf ASL community and identify the lessons learned. Results Key CBPR lessons include the importance of engaging and educating the community about research, ensuring that research benefits the community, using peer-based recruitment strategies, and sustaining community partnerships. These lessons informed subsequent research activities. Conclusions This report focuses on the use of CBPR principles in a Deaf ASL population; lessons learned can be applied to research with other challenging-to-reach populations. PMID:22982845

Assessment of Academic Literacy Skills: Preparing Minority and LEP (Limited English Proficient) Students for Postsecondary Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuehn, Phyllis

Addressing the problem of the language-related barriers to successful postsecondary education for underprepared college students, an assessment of academic language proficiency and a curriculum to help students improve their academic language skills were developed. The nature of the language tasks required in the undergraduate curriculum was…

Standardizing Chinese Sign Language for Use in Post-Secondary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Christina Mien-Chun; Gerner de Garcia, Barbara; Chen-Pichler, Deborah

2009-01-01

There are over 100 languages in China, including Chinese Sign Language. Given the large population and geographical dispersion of the country's deaf community, sign variation is to be expected. Language barriers due to lexical variation may exist for deaf college students in China, who often live outside their home regions. In presenting an…

Oracle Bones and Mandarin Tones: Demystifying the Chinese Language.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor. Project on East Asian Studies in Education.

This publication will provide secondary level students with a basic understanding of the development and structure of Chinese (guo yu) language characters. The authors believe that demystifying the language helps break many cultural barriers. The written language is a good place to begin because its pictographic nature is appealing and inspires…

Exploring the Further Integration of Machine Translation in English-Chinese Cross Language Information Access

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Dan; He, Daqing

2012-01-01

Purpose: This paper seeks to examine the further integration of machine translation technologies with cross language information access in providing web users the capabilities of accessing information beyond language barriers. Machine translation and cross language information access are related technologies, and yet they have their own unique…

The Impacts of Language Background and Language-Related Disorders in Auditory Processing Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loo, Jenny Hooi Yin; Bamiou, Doris-Eva; Rosen, Stuart

2013-01-01

Purpose: To examine the impact of language background and language-related disorders (LRDs--dyslexia and/or language impairment) on performance in English speech and nonspeech tests of auditory processing (AP) commonly used in the clinic. Method: A clinical database concerning 133 multilingual children (mostly with English as an additional…

Acculturation, Communication Apprehension, and Language Acquisition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mettler, Sally

1987-01-01

Describes acculturation as the negotiation of linguistic, behavioral, and affiliation barriers. Reviews three models of second-language acquisition and highlights problems for the learner related to linguistic noise, comprehension lag, and communication apprehension. Considers ways English-as-a-Second-Language instructors can ease linguistic and…

[Transcultural psychiatry or ethnopsychiatry].

PubMed

Serce, A; Davatz, U

1993-08-17

Dr. med. Ursula Davatz is heading the socio-psychiatric service at the psychiatric clinic of Königsfelden. She has trained as a family therapist according to M. Bowen. Dr. med. Adnan Serce is as turkish speaking physician responsive for the "transcultural" psychiatric domain in this service. The authors describe their experiences and difficulties in treating turkish and kurdish psychiatric patients. The language barrier, a divergent cultural background and the tendency of patients and somatic physicians to ascribe psychic problems to somatic causes or symptoms impede, according to the authors, a timely and adequate psychiatric treatment. A dialogue-oriented introspective therapeutic approach is often met by unsurmountable difficulties. Therapeutic success is, however, not excluded as the following examples demonstrate.

Healthcare Access for Iraqi Refugee Children in Texas: Persistent Barriers, Potential Solutions, and Policy Implications.

PubMed

Vermette, David; Shetgiri, Rashmi; Al Zuheiri, Haidar; Flores, Glenn

2015-10-01

To identify access barriers to healthcare and potential interventions to improve access for Iraqi refugee children. Four focus groups were conducted using consecutive sampling of Iraqi refugee parents residing in the US for 8 months to 5 years. Eight key-informant interviews also were conducted with employees of organizations serving Iraqi refugee families, recruited using snowball sampling. Focus groups and interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed using margin coding and grounded theory. Iraqi refugees identified provider availability, Medicaid maintenance and renewal, language issues, and inadequate recognition of post-traumatic stress disorder as barriers to care for their children. Interviewees cited loss of case-management services and difficulties in understanding the Medicaid renewal process as barriers. Potential interventions to improve access include community-oriented efforts to educate parents on Medicaid renewal, obtaining services, and accessing specialists. Given the enduring nature of language and Medicaid renewal barriers, policies addressing eligibility alone are insufficient.

Parents' views on engaging families of middle school students in obesity prevention and control in a multiethnic population.

PubMed

Cowgill, Burton O; Chung, Paul J; Thompson, Lindsey R; Elijah, Jacinta; Lamb, Sheila; Garcia, Vanessa P; Bastani, Roshan

2014-04-04

Overweight and obesity remain significant public health risks for youth in the United States, particularly among racial/ethnic minority groups. Efforts at obesity prevention and control have targeted youth and family members in diverse settings. Although involving parents in obesity prevention programs for youth may improve the potential of these programs, less is known about parents' preferred methods of engagement, especially among racial/ethnic minority parents and parents whose primary language is not English. In this qualitative study, parents of middle-school-aged children were asked how best to engage their children in obesity prevention and control efforts. We recruited 38 parents whose children attended Los Angeles middle schools to participate in focus groups. Two English-language focus groups with 14 parents of different racial/ethnic backgrounds and 2 Spanish language groups with 24 Latino parents were conducted from 2010 through 2011. We analyzed focus group transcripts by using content analysis using inductive and deductive techniques. Findings from focus groups confirmed that parents want to help their children avoid obesity but feel constrained in their ability to take action. Participants identified an overarching desire to become better parents as a potential incentive to engage in obesity prevention efforts. Parents advocated for family-focused approaches in obesity prevention programs, including family sports leagues and cooking classes. Most findings were consistent between language groups, but parents in the Spanish language groups cited language-related barriers. The development and testing of simple programs that are sustainable, community-based, and family-focused may empower families to address obesity prevention and control.

Impact of Communication on Preventive Services Among Deaf American Sign Language Users

PubMed Central

McKee, Michael M.; Barnett, Steve L.; Block, Robert C.; Pearson, Thomas A.

2011-01-01

Background Deaf American Sign Language (ASL) users face communication and language barriers that limit healthcare communication with their providers. Prior research has not examined preventive services with ASL-skilled clinicians. Purpose The goal of this study was to determine whether provider language concordance is associated with improved receipt of preventive services among deaf respondents. Methods This cross-sectional study included 89 deaf respondents aged 50–75 years from the Deaf Health Survey (2008), a BRFSS survey adapted for use with deaf ASL users. Association between the respondent's communication method with the provider (i.e., categorized as either concordant–doctor signs or discordant–other) and preventive services use was assessed using logistic regression adjusting for race, gender, income, health status, health insurance, and education. Analyses were conducted in 2010. Results Deaf respondents who reported having a concordant provider were more likely to report a greater number of preventive services (OR 3.42; 95% CI:1.31, 8.93; p=0.0122) when compared to deaf respondents who reported having a discordant provider even after adjusting for race, gender, income, health status, health insurance, and education. In unadjusted analyses, deaf respondents who reported having a concordant provider were more likely to receive an influenza vaccination in the past year (OR 4.55; p=0.016) when compared to respondents who had a discordant provider. Conclusions Language-concordant patient–provider communication is associated with higher appropriate use of preventive services by deaf ASL users. PMID:21665066

Combining MEDLINE and publisher data to create parallel corpora for the automatic translation of biomedical text

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Most of the institutional and research information in the biomedical domain is available in the form of English text. Even in countries where English is an official language, such as the United States, language can be a barrier for accessing biomedical information for non-native speakers. Recent progress in machine translation suggests that this technique could help make English texts accessible to speakers of other languages. However, the lack of adequate specialized corpora needed to train statistical models currently limits the quality of automatic translations in the biomedical domain. Results We show how a large-sized parallel corpus can automatically be obtained for the biomedical domain, using the MEDLINE database. The corpus generated in this work comprises article titles obtained from MEDLINE and abstract text automatically retrieved from journal websites, which substantially extends the corpora used in previous work. After assessing the quality of the corpus for two language pairs (English/French and English/Spanish) we use the Moses package to train a statistical machine translation model that outperforms previous models for automatic translation of biomedical text. Conclusions We have built translation data sets in the biomedical domain that can easily be extended to other languages available in MEDLINE. These sets can successfully be applied to train statistical machine translation models. While further progress should be made by incorporating out-of-domain corpora and domain-specific lexicons, we believe that this work improves the automatic translation of biomedical texts. PMID:23631733

Ego Is a Hurdle in Second Language Learning: A Contrastive Study between Adults and Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdullah, Shumaila; Akhter, Javed

2015-01-01

The aim of this research paper is to find out by comparing and contrasting between the adults and children in second language learning process how language ego of adult learners affects them to learn second language, and how it becomes a barrier for them in second language learning process. Nowadays learning English as foreign and second language…

The influence of English proficiency on access to care.

PubMed

Shi, Leiyu; Lebrun, Lydie A; Tsai, Jenna

2009-12-01

The number of individuals with limited English proficiency in the USA is large and rapidly growing. Consequently, addressing language barriers in access to medical care is becoming increasingly important. Previous studies have reported that individuals with limited English proficiency have more difficulty gaining access to care, compared to English-proficient individuals. We assessed the impact of English language proficiency on access to medical care, accounting for health and socioeconomic status, using nationally representative data. Cross-sectional data from the 2006 National Health Interview Survey (n=29,868). The main outcome measures of interest were self-reported delayed medical care, forgone needed care, and visits to a health care professional. In unadjusted analyses, individuals with limited English proficiency were more likely to forgo needed medical care and less likely to have a health care visit, compared to individuals who were proficient in English. There was no significant association between language proficiency and reports of delayed care. After accounting for individuals' health and socioeconomic status, only the relationship between limited English proficiency and health care visits remained statistically significant. Most associations between language proficiency and access to care did not differ across various racial/ethnic groups. Results indicate that the choice of access measure may influence conclusions about language barriers in health care. Given the growing proportion of US residents with limited English proficiency, health care settings need to better address potential language barriers.

The Unmet Need for Interpreting Provision in UK Primary Care

PubMed Central

Gill, Paramjit S.; Beavan, Jacqueline; Calvert, Melanie; Freemantle, Nick

2011-01-01

Background With increasing globalisation, the challenges of providing accessible and safe healthcare to all are great. Studies show that there are substantial numbers of people who are not fluent in English to a level where they can make best use of health services. We examined how health professionals manage language barriers in a consultation. Methods and Findings This was a cross-sectional study in 41 UK general practices . Health professionals completed a proforma for a randomly allocated consultation session. Seventy-seven (63%) practitioners responded, from 41(59%) practices. From 1008 consultations, 555 involved patients who did not have English as a first language; 710 took place in English; 222 were in other languages, the practitioner either communicating with the patient in their own language/using an alternative language. Seven consultations were in a mixture of English/patient's own language. Patients' first languages numbered 37 (apart from English), in contrast to health practitioners, who declared at least a basic level of proficiency in 22 languages other than English. The practitioner's reported proficiency in the language used was at a basic level in 24 consultations, whereas in 21, they reported having no proficiency at all. In 57 consultations, a relative/friend interpreted and in 6, a bilingual member of staff/community worker was used. Only in 6 cases was a professional interpreter booked. The main limitation was that only one random session was selected and assessment of patient/professional fluency in English was subjective. Conclusions It would appear that professional interpreters are under-used in relation to the need for them, with bilingual staff/family and friends being used commonly. In many cases where the patient spoke little/no English, the practitioner consulted in the patient's language but this approach was also used where reported practitioner proficiency was low. Further research in different setting is needed to substantiate these findings. PMID:21695146

Europe's Babylon: Towards a Single European Language? Esperanto Documents 41A.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fettes, Mark

Discussion of the establishment of a single language for Europe's many countries and cultures focuses on the debate over English versus Esperanto as the language of choice. It is argued that the notion that language has not been a major barrier to intellectual exchange is a myth. In addition, while the main European political institutions support…

A Sociolinguistic Profile of 100 Mothers from Middle to Upper-Middle Socio-Economic Backgrounds in Penang-Chinese Community: What Languages Do They Speak at Home with Their Children?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Low, Hui Min; Nicholas, Howard; Wales, Roger

2010-01-01

This paper reports the findings of a survey of 100 mothers of Chinese children aged between 6 and 36 months from middle to upper-middle socio-economic backgrounds in Penang, Malaysia. The findings include the language backgrounds of these mothers, their contextual uses of multiple languages and their language choices with their children. Through…

Let the Music Play!--A Short-Term but No Long-Term Detrimental Effect of Vocal Background Music with Familiar Language Lyrics on Foreign Language Vocabulary Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Groot, Annette M. B.; Smedinga, Hilde E.

2014-01-01

Participants learned foreign vocabulary by means of the paired-associates learning procedure in three conditions: (a) in silence, (b) with vocal music with lyrics in a familiar language playing in the background, or (c) with vocal music with lyrics in an unfamiliar language playing in the background. The vocabulary to learn varied in concreteness…

Backgrounds in Language.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maxwell, John C.; Long, Barbara K.

"Backgrounds in Language," a field-tested inservice course designed for use by groups of 15 or 25 language arts teachers, provides the subject matter background teachers need to make informed decisions about what curriculum materials to use in what way, at what time, and with which students. The course is comprised of eight 2-hour sessions,…

What Prevents Quality Midwifery Care? A Systematic Mapping of Barriers in Low and Middle Income Countries from the Provider Perspective

PubMed Central

McConville, Fran; Portela, Anayda

2016-01-01

Background Quality of care is essential for further progress in reducing maternal and newborn deaths. The integration of educated, trained, regulated and licensed midwives into the health system is associated with improved quality of care and sustained decreases in maternal and newborn mortality. To date, research on barriers to quality of care for women and newborns has not given due attention to the care provider’s perspective. This paper addresses this gap by presenting the findings of a systematic mapping of the literature of the social, economic and professional barriers preventing midwifery personnel in low and middle income countries (LMICs) from providing quality of care. Methods and Findings A systematic search of five electronic databases for literature published between January 1990 and August 2013. Eligible items included published and unpublished items in all languages. Items were screened against inclusion and exclusion criteria, yielding 82 items from 34 countries. 44% discussed countries or regions in Africa, 38% in Asia, and 5% in the Americas. Nearly half the articles were published since 2011. Data was extracted and presented in a narrative synthesis and tables. Items were organized into three categories; social; economic and professional barriers, based on an analytical framework. Barriers connected to the socially and culturally constructed context of childbirth, although least reported, appear instrumental in preventing quality midwifery care. Conclusions Significant social and cultural, economic and professional barriers can prevent the provision of quality midwifery care in LMICs. An analytical framework is proposed to show how the overlaps between the barriers reinforce each other, and that they arise from gender inequality. Links are made between burn out and moral distress, caused by the barriers, and poor quality care. Ongoing mechanisms to improve quality care will need to address the barriers from the midwifery provider perspective, as well as the underlying gender inequality. PMID:27135248

Evaluation of a Zulu translation of the Parents’ Evaluation of Developmental Status

PubMed Central

van der Merwe, Maria; Cilliers, Marlé; Maré, Celéste

2017-01-01

Background One of the greatest challenges in early communication intervention in South Africa is developing and implementing successful identification strategies in primary health care (PHC). A shortage of trained PHC personnel is one of the barriers to providing adequate health services in South Africa. This dearth of services creates the need to substitute clinician-administered developmental screening tools with parent-administered tools. Aim To determine the accuracy of the Zulu Parents’ Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS) in comparison with the outcome of the English PEDS. Setting The data were collected in a clinical, non-contrived environment at Stanza Bopape Community Health Clinic in Mamelodi, City of Tshwane. Methods The PEDS is a standardised, parent-completed questionnaire regarding the child’s general development. The English PEDS was translated into Zulu by a Zulu linguist. There were 99 potential participants in the study of whom 83 met the necessary prerequisites. Results Of the participants whose home language is Zulu, 54% preferred the PEDS in English over the PEDS in Zulu. This indicates a skewed preference towards English, with only slight associations between language preference and age, education and home language. Conclusion The Zulu PEDS displayed high positive and negative correspondences, representative of an accurate translation of the English PEDS. It is recommended that this study should be repeated in a community where the majority are Zulu home language speakers. PMID:28697618

Limited english proficiency, primary language at home, and disparities in children's health care: how language barriers are measured matters.

PubMed

Flores, Glenn; Abreu, Milagros; Tomany-Korman, Sandra C

2005-01-01

Approximately 3.5 million U.S. schoolchildren are limited in English proficiency (LEP). Disparities in children's health and health care are associated with both LEP and speaking a language other than English at home, but prior research has not examined which of these two measures of language barriers is most useful in examining health care disparities. Our objectives were to compare primary language spoken at home vs. parental LEP and their associations with health status, access to care, and use of health services in children. We surveyed parents at urban community sites in Boston, asking 74 questions on children's health status, access to health care, and use of health services. Some 98% of the 1,100 participating children and families were of non-white race/ethnicity, 72% of parents were LEP, and 13 different primary languages were spoken at home. "Dose-response" relationships were observed between parental English proficiency and several child and parental sociodemographic features, including children's insurance coverage, parental educational attainment, citizenship and employment, and family income. Similar "dose-response" relationships were noted between the primary language spoken at home and many but not all of the same sociodemographic features. In multivariate analyses, LEP parents were associated with triple the odds of a child having fair/poor health status, double the odds of the child spending at least one day in bed for illness in the past year, and significantly greater odds of children not being brought in for needed medical care for six of nine access barriers to care. None of these findings were observed in analyses of the primary language spoken at home. Individual parental LEP categories were associated with different risks of adverse health status and outcomes. Parental LEP is superior to the primary language spoken at home as a measure of the impact of language barriers on children's health and health care. Individual parental LEP categories are associated with different risks of adverse outcomes in children's health and health care. Consistent data collection on parental English proficiency and referral of LEP parents to English classes by pediatric providers have the potential to contribute toward reduction and elimination of health care disparities for children of LEP parents.

Barriers to breast cancer screening participation among Jordanian and Palestinian American women.

PubMed

Kawar, Lina Najib

2013-02-01

Increasing breast cancer screening (BCS) among diverse women from minority groups is a goal of health care providers and national organizations as a way to help in the early detection and treatment of breast cancer. The purpose of this article is to investigate barriers to BCS encountered by Jordanian and Palestinian women living in the United States (US). Descriptive content analysis of interviews of 107 Jordanian and Palestinian immigrant women provided data on BCS barriers that were thematically analyzed. Data revealed 4 barriers that affect Jordanian and Palestinian immigrant women's participation in BCS: (1) culture-specific barriers such as embarrassment, family relationships, fatalism, and traditional healers consultation; (2) immigration-related barriers (citizenship issues and language); (3) general barriers (including nonparticipation in health screening, stigmatization of cancer, fear, and ignorance about BCS); and (4) irrelevant barriers. Clinicians should be cognizant of the culture, beliefs and practices of Arab Middle Eastern immigrant women and the influence of these factors on their decision to participate in routine BCS. To increase participation in BCS and knowledge of breast cancer, appropriate language and culturally sensitive educational materials should be created and made available to Arab Middle Eastern immigrant women. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Language, culture and emotions: exploring ethnic minority patients' emotional expressions in primary healthcare consultations.

PubMed

De Maesschalck, Stéphanie; Deveugele, Myriam; Willems, Sara

2011-09-01

This study explores ethnic minority patients' expression of emotional cues and concerns in primary healthcare, and examines relationships with patient, provider and consultation attributes. 191 video-recorded consultations were analyzed using the VR-CoDES. Patients were interviewed before the consultation. Generalized Estimating Equations models (GEE) were used to test for associations. Psychosocial versus bio-medically oriented encounters contained significantly more cues (p≤0.05). Patients with poor versus good language proficiency expressed significantly less cues (p≤0.001). No significant correlations were found with patients' cultural values, patients' or physicians' gender or the presence of an interpreter. Female patients express more concerns (p≤0.05), female physicians have a higher number of concerns expressed by patients (p≤0.02). This study shows that independent of physician and diagnosis, patients' language proficiency has a more important impact on the number of cues expressed by the patient than cultural difference. Medical schools and Continuing Medical Education should focus on training programs for recognizing and handling linguistic barriers between physicians and patients. Patient education programs should encourage patients who experience language barriers to open up to physicians. In situations where language is a barrier, physicians and patients should be encouraged to use interpreters to enhance the expression of emotions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Urban Elementary Teachers' Perspectives on Teaching Science to English Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Okhee; Maerten-Rivera, Jaime; Buxton, Cory; Penfield, Randall; Secada, Walter G.

2009-01-01

This descriptive study examined urban elementary school teachers' perceptions of their science content knowledge, science teaching practices, and support for language development of English language learners. Also examined were teachers' perceptions of organizational supports and barriers associated with teaching science to nonmainstream students.…

"My Award Is for My Students"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adults Learning, 2009

2009-01-01

This article features ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) co-ordinator Lynn Evans, recipient of the Learning and Skills Improvement Service STAR Award. Lynn's teaching is all about breaking down barriers, whether that means the personal barriers that prevent learners from achieving their potential or the barriers that exist among…

Creating the Global Graduate: A Cross-Cultural Videoconferencing Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferry, Diane L.; Kydd, Christine T.; Boyles, Corinne

2012-01-01

Business people in multinational environments must deal with a variety of situational barriers and cultural differences, such as time zones, languages, and common practice differences. Learning to accommodate these barriers and differences effectively often takes years of practice. Students who experience some of these barriers and become aware of…

Medical language proficiency: A discussion of interprofessional language competencies and potential for patient risk.

PubMed

Hull, Melodie

2016-02-01

In increasingly multilingual healthcare environments worldwide, ensuring accurate, effective communication is requisite. Language proficiency is essential, particularly medical language proficiency. Medical language is a universal construct in healthcare, the shared language of health and allied health professions. It is highly evolved, career-specific, technical and cultural-bound-a language for specific purposes. Its function differs significantly from that of a standard language. Proficiency requires at minimum, a common understanding of discipline-specific jargon, abstracts, euphemisms, abbreviations; acronyms. An optimal medical language situation demands a level of competency beyond the superficial wherein one can convey or interpret deeper meanings, distinguish themes, voice opinion, and follow directions precisely. It necessitates the use of clarity, and the ability to understand both lay and formal language-characteristics not essential to standard language. Proficiency influences professional discourse and can have the potential to positively or negatively affect patient outcomes. While risks have been identified when there is language discordance between care provider and patient, almost nothing has been said about this within care teams themselves. This article will do so in anticipation that care providers, regulators, employers, and researchers will acknowledge potential language-based communication barriers and work towards resolutions. This is predicated on the fact that the growing interest in language and communication in healthcare today appears to be rested in globalization and increasingly linguistically diverse patient populations. Consideration of the linguistically diverse healthcare workforce is absent. An argument will be posited that if potential risks to patient safety exist and there are potentials for disengagement from care by patients when health providers do not speak their languages then logically these language-based issues can also be true for a care team of mixed linguistic backgrounds. Members may disengage from each other or adverse events may occur as a result of misunderstanding or other language-based confounds. While the greater goal of the article is to address the issues of medical language across languages, English and medical English are used to illustrate points. Questions will be posed to stimulate thought and identify a need for research. Recommendations include collaboration between the health and language disciplines. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparing Local and International Chinese Students' English Language Learning Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anthony, Margreat Aloysious; Ganesen, Sree Nithya

2012-01-01

According to Horwitz (1987) learners' belief about language learning are influenced by previous language learning experiences as well as cultural background. This study examined the English Language Learning Strategies between local and international Chinese students who share the same cultural background but have been exposed to different…

The Struggles over African Languages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maseko, Pam; Vale, Peter

2016-01-01

In this interview, African Language expert Pam Maseko speaks of her own background and her first encounter with culture outside of her mother tongue, isiXhosa. A statistical breakdown of South African languages is provided as background. She discusses Western (originally missionary) codification of African languages and suggests that this approach…

Language Background and Learners' Attitudes to Own-Language Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scheffler, Pawel; Horverak, May Olaug; Krzebietke, Weronika; Askland, Sigrunn

2017-01-01

Learners' language background is one of the factors which may influence the amount and functions of own-language use in English instruction. This article reports a study in which a group of almost 400 Polish and Norwegian secondary school learners of English were asked how their own languages are used in the classroom, how they use them when they…

Variation in Second Language Learners' Strategies among Non-Native English Speakers from Three Language/Culture Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ebsworth, Miriam Eisenstein; Tang, Frank Lixing; Razavi, Nikta; Aiello, Jacqueline

2014-01-01

This study explored the effects of cultural and linguistic background, L2 proficiency, and gender on language learning strategies for 263 college-level learners from Chinese, Russian, and Latino backgrounds. Data based on the SILL (Oxford, 2001) revealed that Russian students used significantly more strategies than the Chinese students in three…

Relationships between Language Background, Secondary School Scores, Tutorial Group Processes, and Students' Academic Achievement in PBL: Testing a Causal Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singaram, Veena S.; van der Vleuten, Cees P. M; Muijtjens, Arno M. M.; Dolmans, Diana H. J. M

2012-01-01

Little is known about the influence of language background in problem-based learning (PBL) tutorial groups on group processes and students' academic achievement. This study investigated the relationship between language background, secondary school score, tutorial group processes, and students' academic achievement in PBL. A validated tutorial…

Barriers to offering French language physician services in rural and northern Ontario.

PubMed

Timony, Patrick E; Gauthier, Alain P; Serresse, Suzanne; Goodale, Natalie; Prpic, Jason

2016-01-01

Rural and Northern Ontario francophones face many health-related challenges including poor health status, a poor supply of French-speaking physicians, and the potential for an inability or reduced ability to effectively communicate with anglophone healthcare providers. As such, it can reasonably be expected that rural and Northern Ontario francophones experience barriers when receiving care. However, the experience of physicians working in areas densely populated by francophones is largely unexplored. This paper identifies barriers experienced by French-speaking and Non-French-speaking rural and Northern Ontario physicians when serving francophone patients. A series of key informant interviews were conducted with 18 family physicians practicing in rural and urban francophone communities of Northeastern Ontario. Interviews were analyzed using a thematic analysis process. Five categories of barrier were identified: (1) language discordance, (2) characteristics of francophone patients, (3) dominance of English in the medical profession, (4) lack of French-speaking medical personnel, and (5) physicians' linguistic (in)sensitivity. Some barriers identified were unique to Non-French-speaking physicians (eg language discordance, use of interpreters, feelings of inadequacy), some were unique to French-speaking physicians (eg limited French education and resources), and some were common to both groups (eg lack of French-speaking colleagues/staff, added time commitments, and the particularities of Franco-Ontarian preferences and culture). Healthcare providers and decision makers may take interest in these results. Although physicians were the focus of the present article, the barriers expressed are likely experienced by other healthcare providers, and thus the lessons learned from this article extend beyond the physician workforce. Efforts must be made to offer educational opportunities for physicians and other healthcare providers working in areas densely populated by francophones; these include linguistic and cultural sensitivity training, in addition to teaching strategies for the practice of 'active offer' of French-language services. In sum, the present study outlines the importance of linguistic concordant communication in healthcare delivery, and describes some of the challenges faced when providing French-language services in rural and Northern Ontario.

Talking about intimate partner violence in multi-cultural antenatal care: a qualitative study of pregnant women's advice for better communication in South-East Norway.

PubMed

Garnweidner-Holme, Lisa Maria; Lukasse, Mirjam; Solheim, Miriam; Henriksen, Lena

2017-04-19

Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women constitutes a major public health problem. Antenatal care is considered a window of opportunity to disclose and to communicate about IPV. However, little is known about how women from different ethnic backgrounds wish to communicate about their experiences with IPV during pregnancy in antenatal care. The aim of the present study was to explore how women from different ethnic backgrounds experienced IPV and what their recommendations were about how midwives should communicate about IPV in antenatal care. Qualitative individual interviews with eight women who had experienced IPV during pregnancy were conducted and analysed using thematic analysis. The participants were purposively recruited from three crisis shelters in South-East Norway. The participants either had immigrant backgrounds (n = 5) or were ethnic Norwegians (n = 3). All participants received antenatal care by a midwife. Although none of the participants were asked about IPV during antenatal care, they wished to talk about their experiences. Most participants felt that it would be important for the midwife to make them aware that they were victims of violence. Participants offered different suggestions on how and when midwives should talk about IPV. Facilitators to talk about IPV with the midwife were a good relationship with and the trustworthiness of the midwife, information about possible negative health outcomes for the newborn owing to IPV and knowing that the midwife could help them. The main barriers to talk about IPV with the midwife were that the participants were accompanied by their husbands during antenatal care, fear that the Child Welfare Service would take away their children after disclosure and cultural acceptance of violence. Participants with immigrant backgrounds also experienced difficulties in talking about IPV owing to their limited language skills. They thought that professionally trained interpreters with experience of IPV could overcome this barrier. Even though none of the participants were asked about IPV in antenatal care, they offered different suggestions on how and when midwives should talk about IPV. Participants irrespective of their ethnical backgrounds perceived antenatal care as a key area to facilitate disclosure of IPV. Midwives' communication and strategic skills to address IPV are crucial for help-seeking women. Training midwives' skills in culture-sensitive communication might help to overcome cultural barriers to talk about violence.

Is Language a Barrier to the Use of Preventive Services?

PubMed Central

Woloshin, Steven; Schwartz, Lisa M; Katz, Steven J; Welch, H Gilbert

1997-01-01

OBJECTIVE To isolate the effect of spoken language from financial barriers to care, we examined the relation of language to use of preventive services in a system with universal access. DESIGN Cross-sectional survey. SETTING Household population of women living in Ontario, Canada, in 1990. PARTICIPANTS Subjects were 22,448 women completing the 1990 Ontario Health Survey, a population-based random sample of households. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS We defined language as the language spoken in the home and assessed self-reported receipt of breast examination, mammogram and Pap testing. We used logistic regression to calculate odds ratios for each service adjusting for potential sources of confounding: socioeconomic characteristics, contact with the health care system, and measures reflecting culture. Ten percent of the women spoke a non-English language at home (4% French, 6% other). After adjustment, compared with English speakers, French-speaking women were significantly less likely to receive breast exams or mammography, and other language speakers were less likely to receive Pap testing. CONCLUSIONS Women whose main spoken language was not English were less likely to receive important preventive services. Improving communication with patients with limited English may enhance participation in screening programs. PMID:9276652

TESOL and Media Education: Navigating Our Screen-Saturated Worlds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chamberlin-Quinlisk, Carla

2012-01-01

Much has changed for today's language learners. The people, artifacts, and popular culture of a target language are often highly accessible to language learners and teachers, despite geographical barriers. This accessibility, of course, is possible through mass media and electronic forms of communication. This is phenomenal. But with this…

Language as a Barrier to Communication between the Classes in Rosario Castellanos's "La tregua" and Jose Revueltas's "El lenguaje de nadie."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duncan, Cynthia

1991-01-01

Examines two Spanish-language short stories that use language as a codifying system for examining false institutions, antiquated prejudices, and iron-cal hierarchies that have been erected in the name of Mexican culture. (12 references) (GLR)

Project LINC: Supporting Lecturers and Adjunct Instructors in Foreign Language Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Sally S.; Edwards, Wade

2012-01-01

Foreign language learning can pose a barrier to some students with disabilities. This practice brief describes a collaborative process used on one campus to provide professional development for foreign language instructors. Training opportunities were intentionally focused on the needs of adjunct and temporary lecturers in providing inclusive…

Digital Game-Based Language Learning in Foreign Language Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alyaz, Yunus; Genc, Zubeyde Sinem

2016-01-01

New technologies including digital game-based language learning have increasingly received attention. However, their implementation is far from expected and desired levels due to technical, instructional, financial and sociological barriers. Previous studies suggest that there is a strong need to establish courses in order to support adaptation of…

Perceptions of Patient-Provider Communication in Breast and Cervical Cancer-Related Care: A Qualitative Study of Low-Income English- and Spanish-Speaking Women

PubMed Central

Simon, Melissa A.; Ragas, Daiva M.; Nonzee, Narissa J.; Phisuthikul, Ava M.; Luu, Thanh Ha; Dong, XinQi

2013-01-01

To explore patient perceptions of patient-provider communication in breast and cervical cancer-related care among low-income English- and Spanish- speaking women, we examined communication barriers and facilitators reported by patients receiving care at safety net clinics. Participants were interviewed in English or Spanish after receiving an abnormal breast or cervical cancer screening test or cancer diagnosis. Following an inductive approach, interviews were coded and analyzed by the language spoken with providers and patient-provider language concordance status. Of 78 participants, 53% (n = 41) were English-speakers and 47% (n = 37) were Spanish-speakers. All English-speakers were language-concordant with providers. Of Spanish-speakers, 27% (n = 10) were Spanish-concordant; 38% (n = 14) were Spanish-discordant, requiring an interpreter; and 35% (n = 13) were Spanish mixed-concordant, experiencing both types of communication throughout the care continuum. English-speakers focused on communication barriers, and difficulty understanding jargon arose as a theme. Spanish-speakers emphasized communication facilitators related to Spanish language use. Themes among all Spanish-speaking sub-groups included appreciation for language support resources and preference for Spanish-speaking providers. Mixed-concordant participants accounted for the majority of Spanish-speakers who reported communication barriers. Our data suggest that, although perception of patient-provider communication may depend on the language spoken throughout the care continuum, jargon is lost when health information is communicated in Spanish. Further, the respective consistency of language concordance or interpretation may play a role in patient perception of patient-provider communication. PMID:23553683

Healthcare-seeking behaviour, barriers and mental health of non-domestic migrant workers in Singapore

PubMed Central

Ang, Jia Wei; Chia, Colin; Koh, Calvin J; Chua, Brandon W B; Narayanaswamy, Shyamala; Wijaya, Limin; Chan, Lai Gwen; Goh, Wei Leong

2017-01-01

Background Low-wage migrant workers are vulnerable to healthcare inequities. We sought to identify potential barriers to healthcare and risk factors for mental health issues in non-domestic migrant workers in Singapore, and identify high-risk subgroups. Methods A cross-sectional, interviewer-administered survey of 433 non-domestic migrant workers was conducted at subsidised clinics and a foreign worker dormitory from July to August 2016. Questions assessed healthcare usage patterns, affordability issues, barriers to care and psychological distress using a validated screening scale (Kessler-6). Findings Bangladeshi workers surveyed were more likely to be single, have more financial dependents, a lower level of education and salary and pay higher agent fees (p<0.01). 61.4% of workers reported that they had insurance, but had poor understanding of whether it covered inpatient/outpatient expenses. The majority of workers had not, or were not sure if they had, received information about company-bought insurance (72.4%). Among those who had, most reported that information was not in their native language (67.7%). Non-specific psychological distress was found in 21.9%, as estimated by the Kessler-6 scale. Multivariate analysis found that psychological distress was independently associated with Bangladeshi nationals (OR 2.98, 95% CI 1.58 to 5.62; p=0.001) and previous experience of financial barriers to healthcare (OR 3.86, 95% CI 2.25 to 6.62; p<0.0001). Interpretation We identified gaps in non-domestic migrant workers' knowledge of healthcare coverage, and substantial financial barriers to healthcare. The Bangladeshi population in our study was at higher risk of such barriers and psychological distress. These represent areas for further research and intervention. PMID:28589024

Educational needs of health professionals working in rheumatology in Europe.

PubMed

Vliet Vlieland, Theodora P M; van den Ende, Cornelia H M; Alliot-Launois, Francoise; Beauvais, Catherine; Gobbo, Milena; Iagnocco, Annamaria; Lundberg, Ingrid E; Munuera-Martínez, Pedro V; Opava, Christina H; Prior, Yeliz; Redmond, Anthony; Smucrova, Hana; Wiek, Dieter

2016-01-01

To explore the availability of postgraduate education for health professionals (HPs) working in rheumatology in Europe, and their perceived educational needs and barriers for participation in current educational offerings. Structured interviews were conducted with national representatives of rheumatology HPs' organisations and an online survey among individual HPs was disseminated through existing European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) networks (10 languages including English). These comprised questions on: availability of postgraduate education, familiarity with EULAR and its educational offerings, unmet needs regarding the contents and mode of delivery and potential barriers to participate in education (0-10 scales). According to 17 national representatives, postgraduate rheumatology education was most common for nurses, physical and occupational therapists. There were 1041 individuals responding to the survey, of whom 48% completed all questions. More than half (56%) were familiar with EULAR as an organisation, whereas <25% had attended the EULAR congress or were familiar with EULAR online courses. Educational needs regarding contents were highest for 'inflammatory arthritis' and 'connective tissue diseases' and regarding modes of delivery for 'courses organised in own country' and 'online courses'. Important barriers to participation included lack of 'resources', 'time' and 'English language skills'. Overall, there was considerable variation in needs and barriers among countries. There is a lack of postgraduate rheumatology education for HPs in most countries. There are opportunities to raise awareness regarding EULAR educational offerings and to develop courses provided in HPs' own country, tailored to national needs and barriers and taking language barriers into consideration.

Experiences of multidisciplinary development team members during user-centered design of telecare products and services: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Vermeulen, Joan; Verwey, Renée; Hochstenbach, Laura M J; van der Weegen, Sanne; Man, Yan Ping; de Witte, Luc P

2014-05-19

User-centered design (UCD) methodologies can help take the needs and requirements of potential end-users into account during the development of innovative telecare products and services. Understanding how members of multidisciplinary development teams experience the UCD process might help to gain insight into factors that members with different backgrounds consider critical during the development of telecare products and services. The primary objective of this study was to explore how members of multidisciplinary development teams experienced the UCD process of telecare products and services. The secondary objective was to identify differences and similarities in the barriers and facilitators they experienced. Twenty-five members of multidisciplinary development teams of four Research and Development (R&D) projects participated in this study. The R&D projects aimed to develop telecare products and services that can support self-management in elderly people or patients with chronic conditions. Seven participants were representatives of end-users (elderly persons or patients with chronic conditions), three were professional end-users (geriatrician and nurses), five were engineers, four were managers (of R&D companies or engineering teams), and six were researchers. All participants were interviewed by a researcher who was not part of their own development team. The following topics were discussed during the interviews: (1) aim of the project, (2) role of the participant, (3) experiences during the development process, (4) points of improvement, and (5) what the project meant to the participant. Experiences of participants related to the following themes: (1) creating a development team, (2) expectations regarding responsibilities and roles, (3) translating user requirements into technical requirements, (4) technical challenges, (5) evaluation of developed products and services, and (6) valorization. Multidisciplinary team members from different backgrounds often reported similar experienced barriers (eg, different members of the development team speak a "different language") and facilitators (eg, team members should voice expectations at the start of the project to prevent miscommunication at a later stage). However, some experienced barriers and facilitators were reported only by certain groups of participants. For example, only managers reported the experience that having different ideas about what a good business case is within one development team was a barrier, whereas only end-users emphasized the facilitating role of project management in end-user participation and the importance of continuous feedback from researchers on input of end-users. Many similarities seem to exist between the experienced barriers and facilitators of members of multidisciplinary development teams during UCD of telecare products and services. However, differences in experiences between team members from various backgrounds exist as well. Insights into these similarities and differences can improve understanding between team members from different backgrounds, which can optimize collaboration during the development of telecare products and services.

Language and Demographic Characteristics of the U.S. Population with Potential Need for Bilingual and Other Special Educational Programs, July 1975.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waggoner, Dorothy

This report summarizes the language background information and certain demographic characteristics of language minorities in the United States. The data were derived from the Survey of Languages, a pilot study of the non-English-language background population aged four and older sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics as part of…

A multi-centre qualitative study exploring the experiences of UK South Asian and White Diabetic Patients referred for renal care

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background An exploration of renal complications of diabetes from the patient perspective is important for developing quality care through the diabetic renal disease care pathway. Methods Newly referred South Asian and White diabetic renal patients over 16 years were recruited from nephrology outpatient clinics in three UK centres - Luton, West London and Leicester – and their experiences of the diabetes and renal care recorded. A semi-structured qualitative interview was conducted with 48 patients. Interview transcripts were analysed thematically and comparisons made between the White and South Asian groups. Results 23 South Asian patients and 25 White patients were interviewed. Patient experience of diabetes ranged from a few months to 35 years with a mean time since diagnosis of 12.1 years and 17.1 years for the South Asian and White patients respectively. Confusion emerged as a response to referral shared by both groups. This sense of confusion was associated with reported lack of information at the time of referral, but also before referral. Language barriers exacerbated confusion for South Asian patients. Conclusions The diabetic renal patients who have been referred for specialist renal care and found the referral process confusing have poor of awareness of kidney complications of diabetes. Healthcare providers should be more aware of the ongoing information needs of long term diabetics as well as the context of any information exchange including language barriers. PMID:23176053

Variation in Second Language Learners' Strategies among Non-Native English Speakers from Three Language/Culture Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ebsworth, Miriam Eisenstein; Tang, Frank Lixing; Razavi, Nikta; Aiello, Jacqueline

2014-01-01

This study explored the effects of cultural and linguistic background, L2 proficiency, and gender on language learning strategies for 263 college-level learners from Chinese, Russian, and Latino backgrounds. Data based on the SILL (Oxford, 2001) revealed that Russian students used significantly more strategies than the Chinese students in three…

Lost in translation: using bilingual simulated patients to improve consulting across language barriers.

PubMed

Escott, Sarah; Lucas, Beverley; Pearson, David

2009-03-01

In the light of rapid demographic change and increased globalisation of health, ways to consult effectively across language barriers are increasingly important. This article describes the development, organisation and evaluation of a UK workshop designed to develop the skills of undergraduate medical students consulting with patients with limited English proficiency, using specially recruited and trained bilingual simulated patients. The authors discuss the advantages and areas for development of the approach, before considering possible future developments.

Language barriers and epistemic injustice in healthcare settings.

PubMed

Peled, Yael

2018-05-09

Contemporary realities of global population movement increasingly bring to the fore the challenge of quality and equitable health provision across language barriers. While this linguistic challenge is not unique to immigration contexts and is likewise shared by health systems responding to the needs of aboriginal peoples and other historical linguistic minorities, the expanding multilingual landscape of receiving societies renders this challenge even more critical, owing to limited or even non-existing familiarity of modern and often monolingual health systems with the particular needs of new linguistic minorities. The centrality of language to health beliefs, attitudes, practices, cultural scripts, and conceptual frameworks emphasizes its pivotal role in the healthcare process, and consequently in the adverse effects of treatment that is language-insensitive and unaware. Such an attitude on the part of medical authorities risks considerable epistemic injustice in the form of a (mis)judgement of patients' intelligence, credibility, and rationality based on the language that they speak and the manner in which they speak it, consequently impacting the quality and equity of care provided. This danger, I argue, may be effectively countered by fostering among the participants in the healthcare process a sense of epistemic humility through greater metalinguistic awareness. Outlining a range of operative steps that can be used to facilitate this. I argue that the reality of language barriers in the healthcare process, while not entirely eliminable, may nevertheless be successfully addressed, in order to mitigate the challenge of quality and equitable healthcare provision in multilingual societies. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

An exploratory survey of Spanish and English nursing students' views on studying or working abroad.

PubMed

Goodman, Benny; Jones, Ray; Sanchón Macias, Marivi

2008-04-01

Student mobility within Europe is encouraged by the EU's 'Bologna process' and financially supported by the Socrates programme. However, relatively few UK nursing students travel to Europe for study. To compare the willingness to study or work abroad and the perceived barriers and benefits of doing so, amongst students in England and Spain. Third year nursing students completed a 15 item questionnaire on work and study abroad. Spanish students were younger than UK students, had fewer family commitments, and better language skills. There was little difference between Spanish and UK students in wanting to study abroad, UK students named English speaking countries as likely destinations. Spanish students named Italy; the UK and USA were also popular. Perceived barriers for UK students were funding, family, and language. Family commitments were not a major problem for Spanish students. Spanish were more likely than English students to see language as a problem. UK and Spanish Nursing students are equally enthusiastic about studying or working abroad but UK students have limited language skills, are less able to access Socrates funding for European destinations, and given their age and family commitments, funding is a barrier for 'non-Socrates' destinations.

[Using the MMSE as a cognitive screener among Turkish and Moroccan migrants].

PubMed

Zwart, L A R; Goudsmit, M; van Campen, J P C M; Rijkers, C J M; Wind, A W

2015-02-01

The Dutch population of first generation Turkish and Moroccan migrants is ageing. Among them hypertension and diabetes mellitus are frequent findings, which will probably cause an increased incidence of dementia. The language barrier, low education and cultural differences make the diagnosis more difficult. To what extent the MMSE can be used as a cognitive screener in this population will be investigated in this retrospective study.Patients received standard diagnostics, a professional translator addressed the language barrier. Correspondence was scored on characteristics of dementia, a procedure was used to diagnose without including the MMSE score. The optimal cut-off was calculated with the Youden Index and Area under the ROC (AUROC).106 patients were included, 61% had no education. Average MMSE-score was 16, with dementia 12, without 19. The AUROC was 0.85, optimal cut-off was 18 with a Youden index of 0.61.By using a professional translator the MMSE can possibly be used as a cognitive screener in this population. However, the cognitive skills addressed by the MMSE require an education and language skills. Developing a test that is independent of education and language barrier will probably be better.

Overcoming Barriers to Shared Decision Making

MedlinePlus

... a social worker can help. Barrier: Language differences Solution: More than 13 million people in the U.S. age 5 and older speak little or no English, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Some hospitals ...

Optimising the Use of Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) Sites for Listening Activities in a Korean English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nah, Ki Chune

2011-01-01

Using the Internet through a mobile phone for learning English as a foreign language (EFL) listening skills has significant potential, and language learners in South Korea hold clearly positive attitudes towards using this. However, the barriers discouraging language learners from using the Internet for EFL listening have not yet been thoroughly…

Linguistic and Cultural Variations as Barriers to the TEFL Settings in Papua

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yembise, Yohana Susana

2011-01-01

The article aims at presenting a description of languages and cultures and the effect on the teaching of English as a Foreign Language in schools in Papua. It starts with a general picture of the uniqueness of languages and cultures in Papua: its geography, the originality of the people, and the languages and cultures of both NAN and AN. The word…

['How strange is the patient to me?'

PubMed

Karger, André; Lindtner-Rudolph, Heide; Mroczynski, Robert; Ziem, Alexander; Joksimovic, Ljiljana

2017-09-01

'How strange is the patient to me?' Physicians' attitudes and expectations toward treating patients with a migration background Objectives: Undergraduate and postgraduate training in cultural competence remains a challenging issue. It might be useful to integrate culturally sensitive learning objectives in existing curricula. As part of a needs assessment, this qualitative study examined the prototypical experiences in clinical routines with patients with a migration background. Twenty physicians took part in half-structured narrative interviews, which were then analyzed by linguistic-ethnographic conversation analysis. The main reasons for difficulties in patient-physician relation proved to be language barriers. Assignments of professional interpreters were rated critically. Physicians attributed the responsibility for successful communication mainly to the patient. The physicians saw little need for training in cultural competence. The integration of learning objectives related to cultural sensibility in existing curricula would seem to be useful, especially because the physicians interviewed reported little need for additional training on their own. The importance of implied negative attitudes and stereotypes in creating a culturally sensitive approach should be taken into account.

Parents’ Views on Engaging Families of Middle School Students in Obesity Prevention and Control in a Multiethnic Population

PubMed Central

Chung, Paul. J.; Thompson, Lindsey R.; Elijah, Jacinta; Lamb, Sheila; Garcia, Vanessa P.; Bastani, Roshan

2014-01-01

Introduction Overweight and obesity remain significant public health risks for youth in the United States, particularly among racial/ethnic minority groups. Efforts at obesity prevention and control have targeted youth and family members in diverse settings. Although involving parents in obesity prevention programs for youth may improve the potential of these programs, less is known about parents’ preferred methods of engagement, especially among racial/ethnic minority parents and parents whose primary language is not English. In this qualitative study, parents of middle-school–aged children were asked how best to engage their children in obesity prevention and control efforts. Methods We recruited 38 parents whose children attended Los Angeles middle schools to participate in focus groups. Two English-language focus groups with 14 parents of different racial/ethnic backgrounds and 2 Spanish language groups with 24 Latino parents were conducted from 2010 through 2011. We analyzed focus group transcripts by using content analysis using inductive and deductive techniques. Results Findings from focus groups confirmed that parents want to help their children avoid obesity but feel constrained in their ability to take action. Participants identified an overarching desire to become better parents as a potential incentive to engage in obesity prevention efforts. Parents advocated for family-focused approaches in obesity prevention programs, including family sports leagues and cooking classes. Most findings were consistent between language groups, but parents in the Spanish language groups cited language-related barriers. Conclusion The development and testing of simple programs that are sustainable, community-based, and family-focused may empower families to address obesity prevention and control. PMID:24698532

Profiles of Turkish Pre-Service Teachers of English in Terms of Language Learning Background

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uztosun, Mehmet Sercan

2017-01-01

This study aims to describe the language learning backgrounds of Turkish pre-service teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) with reference to their perceived language competence and satisfaction with perceived speaking ability. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through a questionnaire that was administered to 365 first-year…

Grappling with Language Barriers: Implications for the Professional Development of Immigrant Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abramova, Inna

2013-01-01

In this narrative inquiry, I explored the role of language in the lives of six Russian-speaking immigrant teachers. Theoretical perspectives emphasized experience, context, and culture in understanding their beliefs, and language served as an interpretive lens through which the experiences were explored. The inquiry revealed the following…

Using Inquiry to Break the Language Barrier in Chemistry Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Andrew; Jessup, Weston; Criswell, Brett A.; Weaver-High, Consuelo; Rushton, Gregory T.

2015-01-01

A guided inquiry lesson intended to support the linguistic and conceptual development of English language learners (ELLs) in a small, cotaught, high-needs secondary setting is presented. Collaborative groupings based on language and content ability coupled with an emphasis on student-student discourse and a hands-on investigation appeared to…

Language and Social Development in a Multilingual Classroom: A Dinosaur Project Enriched with Block Play

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pate, Monique

2009-01-01

With the implementation of the natural approach, the dinosaur study and facilitated block play gave dual language learners many opportunities to acquire a new language, develop social skills, and improve communication abilities. Once teachers identified the barriers to children playing and talking together, they created a classroom environment…

The Struggle to Maintain Identity in Higher Education among Zulu-Speaking Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ngcobo, Sandiso

2014-01-01

The 2002 Language Policy for Higher Education (LPHE) identifies the currently dominant language of instruction--English--as being a possible barrier to many African students in accessing and successfully completing studies at higher education level. The LPHE thus requires that black African languages be developed at Higher Education Institutions…

English Language Learners and Reading Instruction: A Review of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snyder, Elizabeth; Witmer, Sara E.; Schmitt, Heather

2017-01-01

The growing English language learner (ELL) population in the United States warrants an examination of reading intervention effectiveness with this population. The reading achievement of ELLs is of particular concern due to the importance of reading skills and the innate language barriers that exist for ELLs. This article reviews existing…

Creating Success for Students with Learning Disabilities in Postsecondary Foreign Language Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skinner, Michael E.; Smith, Allison T.

2011-01-01

The number of students with learning disabilities (LD) attending postsecondary institutions has increased steadily over the past two decades. Many of these students have language-based learning difficulties that create barriers to success in foreign language (FL) courses. Many institutions have responded by providing these students with exemptions…

Access and acceptability of community-based services for older Greek migrants in Australia: user and provider perspectives.

PubMed

Hurley, Catherine; Panagiotopoulos, Georgia; Tsianikas, Michael; Newman, Lareen; Walker, Ruth

2013-03-01

In most developed nations, ageing migrants represent a growing proportion of the older population. Policies that emphasise care in the community depend on older migrants having access to formal services along with informal support, yet little is known about how older migrants experience community-based formal services. By examining the views of both Greek elders in Australia and those of formal service providers, this research fills an important gap in the literature around access to and acceptability of formal community-based services for older migrants. A research team including two Greek background researchers used existing social groups and a snowball sampling method to conduct face-to-face interviews and focus groups with seventy older Greeks in Adelaide, Australia. In addition, 22 community-based service providers were interviewed over the telephone. Results from users and providers showed that while many older Greeks experience service access issues, they also relied heavily on family for support and assistance at home. Reliance on family was both in preference to formal services or where formal services were used, to locate, negotiate and monitor such services. Common barriers identified by both groups included cost, transport and availability, but additional challenges were posed by language, literacy and cultural attitudes. Demographic changes including greater employment mobility and female workforce participation among adult children will have implications for both formal and informal care providers. Formal service providers need to ensure that services are promoted and delivered to take account of the important role of family in informal support while also addressing the access challenges posed by language and literacy. Research conducted by researchers from the same cultural background in the respondent's native language can further advance knowledge in this area. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

The effect of nurse-patient language barrier on patients' satisfaction.

PubMed

Al-Khathami, Ali M; Kojan, Sulieman W; Aljumah, Mohammed A; Alqahtani, Hussein; Alrwaili, Hind

2010-12-01

To study Saudi patients' perception of nursing care delivered by non-Arabic speaking nurses (NASNs). A cross-sectional survey of randomly selected patients admitted to King Abdul-Aziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia during the summer of 2009. We conducted structured face-to-face interviews, and the Institutional Review Board approved the study. We interviewed 116 patients with a 100% response rate. The mean age was 48 years and 47% were men. Half was illiterate or had a low level of education. Eighty percent was served by NASNs. Most believed that the Arabic language is important to provide high quality of care. Two thirds reported difficulties in understanding nursing instructions, and felt that NASNs could not understand their concerns on many occasions. Half believed that NASNs are more susceptible to error. Seventy percent felt uncomfortable dealing with a nurse who cannot communicate in the same language, and 30% question the reliability of information delivered by NASNs. Patients noticed that NASN avoid (50%) or end conversation (70%) due to language barriers. Sixty-one percent reported that NASNs never or rarely called the interpreter. Overall satisfaction of nursing care was high (90%), with no significant difference between patients who were served by Arabic versus NASNs. Our patients were concerned about the language barrier during nursing care delivery. It may lead to miscommunication and compromise the patient-nurse relationship. Further exploration of this issue is recommended.

An exploration of the enablers and barriers in access to the Dutch healthcare system among Ghanaians in Amsterdam.

PubMed

Boateng, Linda; Nicolaou, Mary; Dijkshoorn, Henriëtte; Stronks, Karien; Agyemang, Charles

2012-03-24

Sub-Saharan African populations are growing in many European countries. Data on the health of these populations are rare. Additionally, many sub-Saharan African migrants are confronted with issues of low socio-economic status, acculturation and language difficulties, which may hamper their access to health care. Despite the identification of some of those barriers, little is known about the enabling factors. Knowledge about the enablers and barriers in access to healthcare experienced is important in addressing their health needs and promoting healthcare access. This study aimed to investigate the enabling factors as well as barriers in access to the Dutch healthcare system among the largest sub-Saharan African migrant group (Ghanaians) living in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Six focus groups were conducted from November 2009 to February 2010. A semi-structured interview guideline was used. Discussions were conducted in English or Twi (Ghanaian dialect), recorded and transcribed verbatim. Analysis was based on the Andersen model of healthcare utilisation using MAXQDA software. Knowledge and perceived quality of the health system, awareness of diseases, family and community support, community initiatives and availability of social support were the main enablers to the healthcare system. Difficulties with the Dutch language and mistrust in health care providers were major barriers in access to healthcare. Access to healthcare is facilitated mainly by knowledge of and the perceived efficiency and quality of the Dutch healthcare system. However, poor Dutch language proficiency and mistrust in health care providers appear to be important barriers in accessing healthcare. The enablers and barriers identified by this study provide useful information for promoting healthcare access among this and similar Sub-Saharan African communities.

``How am I going to work?'' Barriers to employment for immigrant Latinos and Latinas living with HIV in Toronto.

PubMed

Serrano, Angel

2015-06-05

For individuals with HIV positive status, multiple barriers exist to accessing and re-entering employment. Studies on employment for people living with HIV lack a detailed consideration of race and ethnicity. This is the first article that focuses on barriers to employment for the HIV positive Latino community in the Canadian context. To document the barriers that a sample of HIV positive Latinos and Latinas encounter in finding and maintaining employment in Toronto. A non-probability sample of immigrant and refugee Latino men and women living with HIV/AIDS in Toronto participated in in-depth interviews concerning their experiences in the labor market, emphasizing the barriers that they have faced in access to employment. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and later analysed with NVivo 9. Two sets of barriers emerged from the analysis: structural barriers that immigrants encounter in access to employment, such as language difficulties, lack of Canadian work experience and anti-immigrant feelings and barriers to employment for HIV positive individuals, principally HIV related stigma and health related issues. Due to their intersectional identities as immigrants/refugees and HIV positive individuals, participants face compounded barriers to employment: Language difficulties, lack of migrant status and Canadian work experience, anti-immigrant sentiments in the labor market, ageism, HIV related stigma and side effects of medications among other barriers related with an HIV positive condition. Such barriers locate participants in a marginalized position in Canadian society.

Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations in Medical Research: Perceptions and Experiences of Older Italians, Their Families, Ethics Administrators and Researchers

PubMed Central

Woodward-Kron, Robyn; Hughson, Jo-anne; Parker, Anna; Bresin, Agnese; Hajek, John; Knoch, Ute; Phan, Tuong Dien; Story, David

2016-01-01

Background Low-participation of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) patients in medical research remains a problem in migrant and refugee destination countries such as Australia. The aims of this study were to explore i) CALD persons’ perceptions and experiences of the medical system and medical research, in this case, older Italian Australians; and ii) the views of research professionals on CALD patient participation in medical research. Design and Methods A qualitative study was conducted in Melbourne, Australia, in 2015 utilising in-depth interviews and focus groups with four stakeholder groups: older Italian Australians (n=21); adult children of older Italian Australians (n=10); hospital Human Research Ethics Committee administrators (n=4); and clinical researchers (n=4). The data were analysed for content and thematic analysis. Results Themes for the CALD and family group were getting by in medical interactions; receptivity to medical research: testing the waters; and, receptivity to technology for support: passive versus active. Themes for the researcher and HREC groups about CALD patient participation in research were: exclusion; cultural factors; and e-consent. Conclusions Our findings from four stakeholder perspectives and experiences confirm that there were considerable cultural, linguistic, and resourcing barriers hindering the participation of older Italian-Australians in medical research. Furthermore, our findings showed that in this study setting there were few enabling strategies in place to address these barriers despite the national ethics guidelines for equitable participation in research. The findings informed the creation of a multimedia tool whose purpose is to address and improve representation of CALD groups in clinical research. Significance for public health Many people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds remain excluded from medical research such as clinical trials due to a range of language and cultural factors that can be amplified when this population is ageing. This exclusion has implications for the ability of CALD populations to benefit from participating in medical research and for applying research findings to CALD populations. It is essential to develop and implement strategies to include CALD communities in medical research and to uphold the ethical obligation of obtaining informed consent to research. The findings of this study have guided the development of a tablet-based resource which can be used in clinical and community contexts to raise awareness about the purpose of medical research. The resource has been carefully designed to be appropriate for participants' cultural background as well as their preferred language and literacy level. Such a resource has potential to address some of the cultural and linguistic barriers to clinical trial participation of CALD populations. PMID:27190978

Program To Address Sociocultural Barriers to Health Care in Hispanic Communities. National Program Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Mike; Heroux, Janet

Many members of the Hispanic community are separated from the larger community by language barriers and different cultures and belief systems. These factors can affect Hispanic Americans' ability to seek and gain access to the health care system. The Program To Address Sociocultural Barriers to Health Care in the Hispanic Community, known as…

Within- and Cross-Language Relations between Oral Language Proficiency and School Outcomes in Bilingual Children with an Immigrant Background

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prevoo, Mariëlle J. L.; Malda, Maike; Mesman, Judi; van IJzendoorn, Marinus H.

2016-01-01

Sixteen meta-analyses were conducted to examine relations of typically developing bilingual immigrant-background children's oral language proficiency in their first and second language with the school outcomes of early literacy (k = 41), reading (k = 61), spelling (k = 9), mathematics (k = 9), and academic achievement (k = 9). Moderate to strong…

Educational needs of health professionals working in rheumatology in Europe

PubMed Central

Vliet Vlieland, Theodora P M; van den Ende, Cornelia H.M; Alliot-Launois, Francoise; Beauvais, Catherine; Gobbo, Milena; Iagnocco, Annamaria; Lundberg, Ingrid E; Munuera-Martínez, Pedro V; Opava, Christina H; Prior, Yeliz; Redmond, Anthony; Smucrova, Hana; Wiek, Dieter

2016-01-01

Objective To explore the availability of postgraduate education for health professionals (HPs) working in rheumatology in Europe, and their perceived educational needs and barriers for participation in current educational offerings. Methods Structured interviews were conducted with national representatives of rheumatology HPs' organisations and an online survey among individual HPs was disseminated through existing European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) networks (10 languages including English). These comprised questions on: availability of postgraduate education, familiarity with EULAR and its educational offerings, unmet needs regarding the contents and mode of delivery and potential barriers to participate in education (0–10 scales). Results According to 17 national representatives, postgraduate rheumatology education was most common for nurses, physical and occupational therapists. There were 1041 individuals responding to the survey, of whom 48% completed all questions. More than half (56%) were familiar with EULAR as an organisation, whereas <25% had attended the EULAR congress or were familiar with EULAR online courses. Educational needs regarding contents were highest for ‘inflammatory arthritis’ and ‘connective tissue diseases’ and regarding modes of delivery for ‘courses organised in own country’ and ‘online courses’. Important barriers to participation included lack of ‘resources’, ‘time’ and ‘English language skills’. Overall, there was considerable variation in needs and barriers among countries. Conclusions There is a lack of postgraduate rheumatology education for HPs in most countries. There are opportunities to raise awareness regarding EULAR educational offerings and to develop courses provided in HPs' own country, tailored to national needs and barriers and taking language barriers into consideration. PMID:27933210

Motivational Trajectories for Early Language Learning across the Primary-Secondary School Transition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graham, Suzanne; Courtney, Louise; Tonkyn, Alan; Marinis, Theodoros

2016-01-01

The transition from primary to secondary school is an area of concern across a range of curriculum subjects and this is no less so for foreign language learning. Indeed problems with transition have been identified in England as an important barrier to the introduction of language learning to the primary school curriculum, with implications for…

Understanding the Role of Academic Language on Conceptual Understanding in an Introductory Materials Science and Engineering Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Jacquelyn

2012-01-01

Students may use the technical engineering terms without knowing what these words mean. This creates a language barrier in engineering that influences student learning. Previous research has been conducted to characterize the difference between colloquial and scientific language. Since this research had not yet been applied explicitly to…

SignMT: An Alternative Language Learning Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ditcharoen, Nadh; Naruedomkul, Kanlaya; Cercone, Nick

2010-01-01

Learning a second language is very difficult, especially, for the disabled; the disability may be a barrier to learn and to utilize information written in text form. We present the SignMT, Thai sign to Thai machine translation system, which is able to translate from Thai sign language into Thai text. In the translation process, SignMT takes into…

75 FR 34465 - Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties; Guidance to Federal Financial Assistance Recipients...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-17

... individuals, however, do not read, write, speak, or understand English as their primary language. Based on the... or Pacific Island language at home. If these individuals have a limited ability to read, write, speak..., language can be a barrier to accessing important benefits or services, understanding and exercising...

Major Language Theorists influencing Learning of Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nath, Baiju K.

2010-01-01

Language is one attribute that sets humans apart from all other creatures and binds humans together across all geographic barriers. A word can cause a person to sink into the deepest despair or lift us to inspired action. Language can be the tool for great achievement in any discipline. Good understanding of the capabilities and needs of the…

A Tribal Approach to Language and Literacy Development in a Trilingual Setting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trujillo, Octaviana V.

The language competency of members of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe encompasses, to varying degrees, the Yaqui language as well as community dialects of Spanish and English. This unique trilingual pattern has been functional for survival needs but has also been a barrier to educational achievement where competency in standard forms of Spanish and English…

Overcoming Language and Cultural Barriers in School: Helping Hispanic Students Acquire Success in Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ivey, Pauline S.

2011-01-01

Research shows that Hispanic second language students are not as successful as their English-speaking peers in school. The problem is in part due to several factors: curriculum deliverance in a foreign language, cultural differences, and family/school disconnect. Current census reports reveal that Hispanic populations in the United States, and…

Perceived barriers to adopting an Asian-language quitline service: a survey of state funding agencies.

PubMed

Zhuang, Yue-Lin; Cummins, Sharon E; Lee, Hye-ryeon; Dearing, James; Kirby, Carrie; Zhu, Shu-Hong

2012-10-01

This study examined the perceived barriers to adopting an Asian-language quitline service among agencies that fund current state quitline services across the U.S. A self-administered survey on organizational readiness was sent to the funding agencies of 47 states plus Washington D.C. that currently fund state quitlines in English and Spanish, but not in Asian languages (response rate = 58%). The 2010 Census and the 2009 North American Quitline Consortium Survey were used to obtain the proportion of Asians among the state population and state quitline funding level, respectively. The most frequently cited reasons for not adopting an Asian quitline are: the Asian population in the state would be too small (71.4%), costs of service would be too high (57.1%), and the belief that using third-party translation for counseling is sufficient (39.3%). However, neither the actual proportion of Asians among the state population (range = 0.7% to 7.3%), nor the quitline funding level (range = $0.17 to $20.8 per capita) predicts the reported reasons. The results indicate that quitline funding agencies need more education on the necessity and the feasibility of an Asian-language quitline. Three states are currently participating in a multi-state Asian-language quitline in which each state promotes the service to its residents and one state (CA) provides the services for all the states. This centralized multi-state Asian-language quitline operation, which helps reduce practical barriers in adoption and disparity in access to service, could be extended.

Enhancing international medical graduates' communication: the contribution of applied linguistics.

PubMed

Dahm, Maria R; Yates, Lynda; Ogden, Kathryn; Rooney, Kim; Sheldon, Brooke

2015-08-01

International medical graduates (IMGs) make up one-third of the Australian medical workforce. Those from non-English-language backgrounds can face cultural and communication barriers, yet linguistic support is variable and medical educators are often required to provide feedback on both medical and communication issues. However, some communication difficulties may be very specific to the experiences of IMGs as second language users. This interdisciplinary study combines perspectives from applied linguistics experts and clinical educators to address IMGs' difficulties from multiple dimensions and to enhance feedback quality. Five video-recorded patient encounters with five IMGs were collected at Launceston General Hospital. Three clinical educators gave quantitative and qualitative feedback using the Rating Instrument for Clinical Consulting Skills, and two applied linguistics experts analysed the data for language, pragmatic and communication difficulties. The comparison of the educators' language-related feedback with linguistic analyses of the same interactions facilitated the exploration of differences in the difficulties identified by the two expert groups. Although the clinical educators were able to use their tacit intuitive understanding of communication issues to identify IMG difficulties, they less frequently addressed the underlying issues or suggested specific remedies in their feedback. This pilot study illustrates the effectiveness of interdisciplinary collaboration in highlighting the specific discourse features contributing to IMG communication difficulties and thus assists educators in deconstructing their intuitive knowledge. The authors suggest that linguistic insights can therefore improve communications training by assisting educators to provide more targeted feedback. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Invisible Multilingual Teacher: The Contribution of Language Background to Australian ESL Teachers' Professional Knowledge and Beliefs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellis, Elizabeth M.

2004-01-01

English as a second language (ESL) is taught in Australia to adult learners of mixed language backgrounds through the medium of English, and there is currently no requirement that ESL teachers speak another language. This paper reports on a study which asked what advantages there may be for ESL teachers to have proficiency in two or more…

Language-Related Values, Reading Amount, and Reading Comprehension in Students with Migration Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

El-Khechen, Wahiba; Ferdinand, Hanna D.; Steinmayr, Ricarda; McElvany, Nele

2016-01-01

Background: Although various studies on general language performance have investigated determinants of students' reading comprehension (e.g., reading amount), they have paid insufficient attention to how students perceive parental values influence their language-related values and behaviour--and, as a consequence, their performance. This is…

Progress, Proficiency and Motivation among British University Language Learners. CLCS Occasional Paper No. 40.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coleman, James A.

A study of over 3,000 British college and university students investigated the relationship of student language proficiency and student demographic and background characteristics. Proficiency levels were assessed by means of C-Tests, while associated questionnaires sought to explore biographical data, language learning background, residence…

How To Use A Dental Dam As A Barrier For Oral Sex

MedlinePlus

... Hepatitis Ebola Zika Global AIDS Sexual Health NCHHSTP Dental Dam Use Language: English (US) Español (Spanish) Format: ... suitable for some audiences How To Use A Dental Dam As A Barrier For Oral Sex Dental ...

Moving beyond the language barrier: the communication strategies used by international medical graduates in intercultural medical encounters.

PubMed

Jain, Parul; Krieger, Janice L

2011-07-01

To understand the communication strategies international medical graduates use in medical interactions to overcome language and cultural barriers. In-depth interviews were conducted with 12 international physicians completing their residency training in internal medicine in a large hospital in Midwestern Ohio. The interview explored (a) barriers participants encountered while communicating with their patients regarding language, affect, and culture, and (b) communication convergence strategies used to make the interaction meaningful. International physicians use multiple convergence strategies when interacting with their patients to account for the intercultural and intergroup differences, including repeating information, changing speaking styles, and using non-verbal communication. Understanding barriers to communication faced by international physicians and recognizing accommodation strategies they employ in the interaction could help in training of future international doctors who come to the U.S. to practice medicine. Early intervention could reduce the time international physicians spend navigating through the system and trying to learn by experimenting with different strategies which will allow these physicians to devote more time to patient care. We recommend developing a training manual that is instructive of the socio-cultural practices of the region where international physician will start practicing medicine. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors complicating the diabetes management of visitors to Japan: advices from a Japanese National Center for overseas medical staff.

PubMed

Kishimoto, Miyako; Noda, Mitsuhiko

2016-01-01

Linguistic, cultural, and geographical differences might challenge the management of diabetes patients travelling in a culturally and linguistically homogeneous country. This article presents an instructive case and identifies various factors that can help in effective diabetes management of such cases. A Russian female patient aged 23 came to Japan and visited our hospital for a second opinion regarding glycemic control. She was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age three and started insulin injections and diet therapy with carbohydrate counting methods. Her HbA1c level was 11.0% with multiple daily insulin injections. She showed neuropathy, nephropathy, and blindness due to her progressed retinopathy. Because of the language barrier, suggestions for lifestyle modification were not effectively conveyed to the patient. We analyzed possible barriers to effective diabetes management in such foreign patients. In addition to language barriers and difficulties in diet therapy, dissimilar diabetes treatment guidelines, inadequate healthcare insurance, and stress-inducing conditions can be barriers to effective diabetes management. Foreign diabetes patients might face several barriers in effective management while travelling in Japan. Use of medical interpreters, adequate medical insurance, and trained medical staff will help in overcoming these barriers.

The barriers encountered by teachers implementing education for sustainable development: discipline bound differences and teaching traditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borg, Carola; Gericke, Niklas; Höglund, Hans-Olof; Bergman, Eva

2012-07-01

Background : According to the Swedish curriculum teachers in all subjects have a responsibility to integrate a holistic perspective of sustainable development (SD) and teach according to an education for sustainable development (ESD) approach. However previous research has shown that teachers from different subjects perceive SD differently. Purpose : The study aimed at investigating if and how teachers' subject area influences their ability to implement a holistic perspective of ESD; we investigated both the impact of teaching traditions and the barriers that teachers experienced. Sample : A stratified sample of 224 Swedish upper secondary schools participated. An online questionnaire was sent and answered by a total of 3229 teachers at these schools. In total, there were 669 science teachers, 373 social science teachers, 483 language teachers, 713 vocational and esthetical-practical teachers, and 739 teachers from other disciplines who participated in the survey. Design and methods : The questionnaire consisted of questions requiring Likert-scale responses and multiple-choice questions. The data from the questionnaire were analyzed using Pearson's Chi-square test and one-way ANOVA. The significance level accepted was p < 0.05. Results : Teachers were influenced by their own subject traditions. Science teachers in our study were grounded in the fact-based tradition and lectures were the most common teaching method used. The teaching tradition of the social science teachers seemed to be most in line to an ESD approach. Many language teachers (41%) stated they did not include SD issues in their teaching at all. Among the barriers identified, the most common obstacles were that the teachers lacked inspiring examples of how to include SD in their teaching and that they lacked the necessary expertise about SD. Conclusion : This study highlights the need for the management within schools to create opportunities for teachers to work collaboratively when teaching ESD. It is also important to provide further training that is adjusted to the needs of different disciplines.

Feasibility of Spanish-language acquisition for acute medical care providers: novel curriculum for emergency medicine residencies.

PubMed

Grall, Kristi H; Panchal, Ashish R; Chuffe, Eliud; Stoneking, Lisa R

2016-01-01

Language and cultural barriers are detriments to quality health care. In acute medical settings, these barriers are more pronounced, which can lead to poor patient outcomes. We implemented a longitudinal Spanish-language immersion curriculum for emergency medicine (EM) resident physicians. This curriculum includes language and cultural instruction, and is integrated into the weekly EM didactic conference, longitudinal over the entire 3-year residency program. Language proficiency was assessed at baseline and annually on the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) scale, via an oral exam conducted by the same trained examiner each time. The objective of the curriculum was improvement of resident language skills to ILR level 1+ by year 3. Significance was evaluated through repeated-measures analysis of variance. The curriculum was launched in July 2010 and followed through June 2012 (n=16). After 1 year, 38% had improved over one ILR level, with 50% achieving ILR 1+ or above. After year 2, 100% had improved over one level, with 90% achieving the objective level of ILR 1+. Mean ILR improved significantly from baseline, year 1, and year 2 (F=55, df =1; P<0.001). Implementation of a longitudinal, integrated Spanish-immersion curriculum is feasible and improves language skills in EM residents. The curriculum improved EM-resident language proficiency above the goal in just 2 years. Further studies will focus on the effect of language acquisition on patient care in acute settings.

International Terminology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nedobity, W.

Uniformity, and thus internationalization, of concepts and terms in special-purpose languages is desirable for reducing language barriers in the transfer of scientific and technological information. This is important for both industrialized nations and countries with small economies. Training of skilled personnel in developing nations has always…

Black Interpretation, Black American Literature, and Grey Audiences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washington, Earl M.

1981-01-01

Defines and illustrates language techniques used by Black authors writing to and for Blacks in the 1960s and 1970s. Suggests how language and theme barriers of such literature might be overcome in a contemporary integrated oral interpretation classroom. (PD)

Classroom acoustics as a consideration for inclusive education in South Africa

PubMed Central

Karusseit, Catherine

2017-01-01

Background It can hardly be disputed that a school environment should be conducive or, at the very least, not prohibitive to effective learning. The provision of fair, equal and barrier-free access to education is referred to as inclusive education. South Africa supports a policy of inclusive schooling, striving to accommodate all children, including those with disabilities, in mainstream schools. This article sets out to prove that noise control in classrooms is a relevant, yet neglected, aspect of inclusive classroom design in South Africa and requires specific attention. Objectives The objectives of this study are to: (1) establish the impact that noise has on learners with sensory, language or learning impairments; (2) establish the preferred listening conditions for these learners by examining prior research and guidelines available in other countries; and (3) outline the current South African regulations pertaining to classroom acoustics and assess them against the preferred listening environment. Method This research was conducted as a systematic review with reference to the South African context. Local and international research and guidelines were used as references, providing an overview and evaluation of data concerning noise and learning. Results Noise is disadvantageous for learners, particularly those with sensory, language or learning impairments. Research and international guidelines show that the ideal ambient level is 30 dBA – 35 dBA, allowing the achievement of an ideal signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of +15 dB, and the ideal reverberation time is 0.4 s – 0.6 s. Various South African regulations discussed are inconsistent regarding ambient noise level (ranging from 35 dBA – 50 dBA) and say little about reverberation time for classrooms. Conclusion South African regulations regarding classroom acoustics require revision to ensure inclusion of all learners with disabilities. The current status does not enforce barrier-free environments in mainstream schools for children with sensory, language or learning impairments. PMID:28893075

Reaching the hard-to-reach: a systematic review of strategies for improving health and medical research with socially disadvantaged groups

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background This study aims to review the literature regarding the barriers to sampling, recruitment, participation, and retention of members of socioeconomically disadvantaged groups in health research and strategies for increasing the amount of health research conducted with socially disadvantaged groups. Methods A systematic review with narrative synthesis was conducted. Searches of electronic databases Medline, PsychInfo, EMBASE, Social Science Index via Web of Knowledge and CINHAL were conducted for English language articles published up to May 2013. Qualitative and quantitative studies as well as literature reviews were included. Articles were included if they reported attempts to increase disadvantaged group participation in research, or the barriers to research with disadvantaged groups. Groups of interest were those described as socially, culturally or financially disadvantaged compared to the majority of society. Eligible articles were categorised according to five phases of research: 1) sampling, 2) recruitment and gaining consent, 3) data collection and measurement, 4) intervention delivery and uptake, and 5) retention and attrition. Results In total, 116 papers from 115 studies met inclusion criteria and 31 previous literature reviews were included. A comprehensive summation of the major barriers to working with various disadvantaged groups is provided, along with proposed strategies for addressing each of the identified types of barriers. Most studies of strategies to address the barriers were of a descriptive nature and only nine studies reported the results of randomised trials. Conclusions To tackle the challenges of research with socially disadvantaged groups, and increase their representation in health and medical research, researchers and research institutions need to acknowledge extended timeframes, plan for higher resourcing costs and operate via community partnerships. PMID:24669751

A Physical Education Guide with English Language Practice Drills for Teachers of Navajo Kindergarten and Primary School Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tefft, Virginia J.

Cultural and language barriers, particularly among Indian and Spanish American students, face 40% of New Mexico's school age children. This often forces them to become disadvantaged as they progress through the public schools. The present 1968-69 study has devised guides for teaching physical education while giving second language practice in…

Japanese Language as an Organizational Barrier for International Students to Access to University Services: A Case of Aoyama Gakuin University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hiratsuka, Hiroyoshi

2016-01-01

In 2011, Aoyama Gakuin University (AGU) started a government-funded degree program (taught in English) to accept international students with limited or no Japanese language proficiency. However, the students faced obstacles in accessing all of the university resources provided. In this article, I investigated Japanese language as an organizational…

Young Men’s Views Toward the Barriers and Facilitators of Internet-Based Chlamydia Trachomatis Screening: Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

McDaid, Lisa

2013-01-01

Background There is a growing number of Internet-based approaches that offer young people screening for sexually transmitted infections. Objective This paper explores young men’s views towards the barriers and facilitators of implementing an Internet-based screening approach. The study sought to consider ways in which the proposed intervention would reach and engage men across ages and socioeconomic backgrounds. Methods This qualitative study included 15 focus groups with 60 heterosexual young men (aged 16-24 years) across central Scotland, drawn across age and socioeconomic backgrounds. Focus groups began by obtaining postcode data to allocate participants to a high/low deprivation category. Focus group discussions involved exploration of men’s knowledge of chlamydia, use of technology, and views toward Internet-based screening. Men were shown sample screening invitation letters, test kits, and existing screening websites to facilitate discussions. Transcripts from audio recordings were analyzed with "Framework Analysis". Results Men’s Internet and technology use was heterogeneous in terms of individual practices, with greater use among older men (aged 20-24 years) than teenagers and some deprivation-related differences in use. We detail three themes related to barriers to successful implementation: acceptability, confidentiality and privacy concerns, and language, style, and content. These themes identify ways Internet-based screening approaches may fail to engage some men, such as by raising anxiety and failing to convey confidentiality. Men wanted screening websites to frame screening as a serious issue, rather than using humorous images and text. Participants were encouraged to reach a consensus within their groups on their broad design and style preferences for a screening website; this led to a set of common preferences that they believed were likely to engage men across age and deprivation groups and lead to greater screening uptake. Conclusions The Internet provides opportunities for re-evaluating how we deliver sexual health promotion and engage young men in screening. Interventions using such technology should focus on uptake by age and socioeconomic background. Young people should be engaged as coproducers of intervention materials and websites to ensure messages and content are framed appropriately within a fast-changing environment. Doing so may go some way to addressing the overall lower levels of testing and screening among men compared with women. PMID:24300158

Developmental Screening of Refugees: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Moore, Jessica A.; Welch, Therese R.; Halterman, Jill S.; Hyman, Susan L.

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Refugee children are at high developmental risk due to dislocation and deprivation. Standardized developmental screening in this diverse population is challenging. We used the Health Belief Model to guide key-informant interviews and focus groups with medical interpreters, health care providers, community collaborators, and refugee parents to explore key elements needed for developmental screening. Cultural and community-specific values and practices related to child development and barriers and facilitators to screening were examined. METHODS: We conducted 19 interviews and 2 focus groups involving 16 Bhutanese-Nepali, Burmese, Iraqi, and Somali participants, 7 community collaborators, and 6 providers from the Center for Refugee Health in Rochester, New York. Subjects were identified through purposive sampling until data saturation. Interviews were recorded, coded, and analyzed using a qualitative framework technique. RESULTS: Twenty-one themes in 4 domains were identified: values/beliefs about development/disability, practices around development/disability, the refugee experience, and feedback specific to the Parents’ Evaluation of Developmental Status screen. Most participants denied a word for “development” in their primary language and reported limited awareness of developmental milestones. Concern was unlikely unless speech or behavior problems were present. Physical disabilities were recognized but not seen as problematic. Perceived barriers to identification of delays included limited education, poor healthcare knowledge, language, and traditional healing practices. Facilitators included community navigators, trust in health care providers, in-person interpretation, visual supports, and education about child development. CONCLUSIONS: Refugee perspectives on child development may influence a parent’s recognition of and response to developmental concerns. Despite challenges, standardized screening was supported. PMID:27527798

Some Aspects of Developing Background Knowledge in Second Language Acquisition Revisited

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zashchitina, Galina; Moysyak, Natalia

2017-01-01

The article focuses on defining how background knowledge impacts on second-language acquisition by giving a brief overview of schema theory, the interaction of the basic modes of information processing. A challenge of dealing with culturally specific texts in second language acquisition is also touched upon. Different research-supported views on…

Tonal Language Background and Detecting Pitch Contour in Spoken and Musical Items

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stevens, Catherine J.; Keller, Peter E.; Tyler, Michael D.

2013-01-01

An experiment investigated the effect of tonal language background on discrimination of pitch contour in short spoken and musical items. It was hypothesized that extensive exposure to a tonal language attunes perception of pitch contour. Accuracy and reaction times of adult participants from tonal (Thai) and non-tonal (Australian English) language…

Perceptual Judgments of Accented Speech by Listeners from Different First Language Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kang, Okim; Vo, Son Ca Thanh; Moran, Meghan Kerry

2016-01-01

Research in second language speech has often focused on listeners' accent judgment and factors that affect their perception. However, the topic of listeners' application of specific sound categories in their own perceptual judgments has not been widely investigated. The current study explored how listeners from diverse language backgrounds weighed…

Cultural Backgrounds and Textual Appropriation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shi, Ling

2006-01-01

This study examines interviews with 46 undergraduates to explore if participants with differing language and cultural backgrounds view plagiarism or textual appropriation primarily as a) a language problem because of a lack of words of one's own, or b) a cultural challenge as a result of either some first language (L1) cultural training to…

Second Language Comprehensibility Revisited: Investigating the Effects of Learner Background

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crowther, Dustin; Trofimovich, Pavel; Saito, Kazuya; Isaacs, Talia

2015-01-01

The current study investigated first language (L1) effects on listener judgment of comprehensibility and accentedness in second language (L2) speech. The participants were 45 university-level adult speakers of English from three L1 backgrounds (Chinese, Hindi, Farsi), performing a picture narrative task. Ten native English listeners used…

Barriers and facilitators to cultural competence in rehabilitation services: a scoping review.

PubMed

Grandpierre, Viviane; Milloy, Victoria; Sikora, Lindsey; Fitzpatrick, Elizabeth; Thomas, Roanne; Potter, Beth

2018-01-15

There is an important need to evaluate whether rehabilitation services effectively address the needs of minority culture populations with North America's increasingly diverse population. The objective of this paper was therefore to review and assess the state of knowledge of barriers and facilitators to cultural competence in rehabilitation services. Our scoping review focused on cultural competence in rehabilitation services. Rehabilitation services included in this review were: audiology, speech-language pathology, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy. A search strategy was developed to identify relevant articles published from inception of databases until April 2015. Titles and abstracts were screened by two independent reviewers according to specific eligibility criteria with the use of a liberal-accelerated approach. Full-text articles meeting inclusion criteria were then screened. Key study characteristics were abstracted by the first reviewer, and findings were verified by the second reviewer. After duplicates were removed, 4303 citations were screened. Included articles suggest that studies on cultural competence occur most frequently in occupational therapy (n = 17), followed by speech language pathology (n = 11), physiotherapy (n = 6), and finally audiology (n = 1). Primary barriers in rehabilitation services include language barriers, limited resources, and cultural barriers. Primary facilitators include cultural awareness amongst practitioners, cultural awareness in services, and explanations of health care systems. To our knowledge, this review is the first to summarize barriers and facilitators to cultural competence in rehabilitation fields. Insufficient studies were found to draw any conclusions with regards to audiological services. Minimal perspectives based on patient/caregiver experiences in all rehabilitation fields underscore a research gap. Future studies should aim to explore both patient/caregiver and practitioner perspectives as such data can help inform culturally competent practices.

Development of the Tensoral Computer Language

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferziger, Joel; Dresselhaus, Eliot

1996-01-01

The research scientist or engineer wishing to perform large scale simulations or to extract useful information from existing databases is required to have expertise in the details of the particular database, the numerical methods and the computer architecture to be used. This poses a significant practical barrier to the use of simulation data. The goal of this research was to develop a high-level computer language called Tensoral, designed to remove this barrier. The Tensoral language provides a framework in which efficient generic data manipulations can be easily coded and implemented. First of all, Tensoral is general. The fundamental objects in Tensoral represent tensor fields and the operators that act on them. The numerical implementation of these tensors and operators is completely and flexibly programmable. New mathematical constructs and operators can be easily added to the Tensoral system. Tensoral is compatible with existing languages. Tensoral tensor operations co-exist in a natural way with a host language, which may be any sufficiently powerful computer language such as Fortran, C, or Vectoral. Tensoral is very-high-level. Tensor operations in Tensoral typically act on entire databases (i.e., arrays) at one time and may, therefore, correspond to many lines of code in a conventional language. Tensoral is efficient. Tensoral is a compiled language. Database manipulations are simplified optimized and scheduled by the compiler eventually resulting in efficient machine code to implement them.

Variations in Language: Teaching within the Confines of Black English in Rural Georgia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simmons, Amelia

2014-01-01

It is the purpose of this paper to describe how the identification of linguistic differences in Black English helped eradicate the language barrier in a rural Georgia classroom and enhanced the communication between the teacher and the students.

Patient-provider language concordance and colorectal cancer screening.

PubMed

Linsky, Amy; McIntosh, Nathalie; Cabral, Howard; Kazis, Lewis E

2011-02-01

Patient-provider language barriers may play a role in health-care disparities, including obtaining colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. Professional interpreters and language-concordant providers may mitigate these disparities. DESIGN, SUBJECTS, AND MAIN MEASURES: We performed a retrospective cohort study of individuals age 50 years and older who were categorized as English-Concordant (spoke English at home, n = 21,594); Other Language-Concordant (did not speak English at home but someone at their provider's office spoke their language, n = 1,463); or Other Language-Discordant (did not speak English at home and no one at their provider's spoke their language, n = 240). Multivariate logistic regression assessed the association of language concordance with colorectal cancer screening. Compared to English speakers, non-English speakers had lower use of colorectal cancer screening (30.7% vs 50.8%; OR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.51-0.76). Compared to the English-Concordant group, the Language-Discordant group had similar screening (adjusted OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.58-1.21), while the Language-Concordant group had lower screening (adjusted OR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.46-0.71). Rates of CRC screening are lower in individuals who do not speak English at home compared to those who do. However, the Language-Discordant cohort had similar rates to those with English concordance, while the Language-Concordant cohort had lower rates of CRC screening. This may be due to unmeasured differences among the cohorts in patient, provider, and health care system characteristics. These results suggest that providers should especially promote the importance of CRC screening to non-English speaking patients, but that language barriers do not fully account for CRC screening rate disparities in these populations.

Ethnic differences in informed decision-making about prenatal screening for Down's syndrome.

PubMed

Fransen, Mirjam P; Essink-Bot, Marie-Louise; Vogel, Ineke; Mackenbach, Johan P; Steegers, Eric A P; Wildschut, Hajo I J

2010-03-01

The aim of this study was to assess ethnic variations in informed decision-making about prenatal screening for Down's syndrome and to examine the contribution of background and decision-making variables. Pregnant women of Dutch, Turkish and Surinamese origin were recruited between 2006 and 2008 from community midwifery or obstetrical practices in The Netherlands. Each woman was personally interviewed 3 weeks (mean) after booking for prenatal care. Knowledge, attitude and participation in prenatal screening were assessed following the 'Multidimensional Measure of Informed Choice' that has been developed and applied in the UK. In total, 71% of the Dutch women were classified as informed decision-makers, compared with 5% of the Turkish and 26% of the Surinamese women. Differences between Surinamese and Dutch women could largely be attributed to differences in educational level and age. Differences between Dutch and Turkish women could mainly be attributed to differences in language skills and gender emancipation. Women from ethnic minority groups less often made an informed decision whether or not to participate in prenatal screening. Interventions to decrease these ethnic differences should first of all be aimed at overcoming language barriers and increasing comprehension among women with a low education level. To further develop diversity-sensitive strategies for counselling, it should be investigated how women from different ethnic backgrounds value informed decision-making in prenatal screening, what decision-relevant knowledge they need and what they take into account when considering participation in prenatal screening.

A cross-language study of perception of lexical stress in English.

PubMed

Yu, Vickie Y; Andruski, Jean E

2010-08-01

This study investigates the question of whether language background affects the perception of lexical stress in English. Thirty native English speakers and 30 native Chinese learners of English participated in a stressed-syllable identification task and a discrimination task involving three types of stimuli (real words/pseudowords/hums). The results show that both language groups were able to identify and discriminate stress patterns. Lexical and segmental information affected the English and Chinese speakers in varying degrees. English and Chinese speakers showed different response patterns to trochaic vs. iambic stress across the three types of stimuli. An acoustic analysis revealed that two language groups used different acoustic cues to process lexical stress. The findings suggest that the different degrees of lexical and segmental effects can be explained by language background, which in turn supports the hypothesis that language background affects the perception of lexical stress in English.

Clinical educators' experiences of facilitating learning when speaking a different language from both the student and client.

PubMed

Keeton, Nicola; Kathard, Harsha; Singh, Shajila

2017-11-02

Worldwide there is an increasing responsibility for clinical educators to help students from different language backgrounds to develop the necessary skills to provide health care services to a linguistically diverse client base. This study describes the experiences of clinical educators who facilitate learning in contexts where they are not familiar with the language spoken between students and their clients. A part of the qualitative component of a larger mixed methods study is the focus of this paper. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight participants recruited from all audiology university programmes in South Africa. Thematic analysis allowed for an in depth exploration of the research question. Member checking was used to enhance credibility. It is hoped that the findings will inform training programmes and in so doing, optimize the learning of diverse students who may better be able to provide appropriate services to the linguistically diverse population they serve. Participants experienced challenges with fair assessment of students and with ensuring appropriate client care when they were unable to speak the language shared between the client and the student. In the absence of formal guidelines, clinical educators developed unique coping strategies that they used on a case-by-case basis to assess students and ensure adequate client management when they experienced such language barriers while supervising. Coping strategies included engaging other students as interpreters, having students role-play parts of a session in English in advance and requesting real-time translations from the student during the session. They expressed concern about the fairness and efficacy of the coping strategies used. While clinical educators use unique strategies to assess students and to ensure suitable client care, dilemmas remain regarding the fairness of assessment and the ability to ensure the quality of client care.

[The Impact of Immigrant Status on the Mode of Hospital Referral, Impression of Disease Severity and Length of Stay in Inpatient General Pediatric Care].

PubMed

Ullrich, Sebastian; Nesterko, Yuriy; Briel, Diana; Hiemisch, Andreas; Brähler, Elmar; Glaesmer, Heide

2017-08-10

Background National as well as international research often shows differences in health and health behavior between children and youth with and without migration background. It is also noted that there are differences in the use of health services depending on the migration background. Patients and Methods Data from 266 pediatric patients, regarding their hospitalization, general impression of health status and length of stay in a hospital, were analyzed depending on the migration background. Information on migration background and treatment-related data were obtained from the parents of the patient or from the hospital information system (SAP). 20.7% of patients (n=55) had a migration background. Results Migrants were hospitalized more often under a participation of the emergency room than non-migrants; also migrants showed a more severe illness picture. Regarding the number of diagnoses and length of stay as well as the distribution of the main diagnoses, no differences were found. Discussion Language barriers, culture-specific ideas about illness and insufficient knowledge of the German health care system were discussed as possible reasons to for the differences between migrants and non-migrants. Conclusion This study confirms already known differences in the use of health services by people with and without migration background. The results indicate worse health status in migrant patients compared to non-migrants by hospitalization. Future research with greater numbers of participants should specifically investigate on this point. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Creating a Professional Ladder for Interpreters for Improvement of Care.

PubMed

Marshall, Lori; Fischer, Anna; Noyes Soeller, Allison; Cordova, Richard; Gutierrez, Yvonne R; Alford, Luis

2016-01-01

Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), a metropolitan academic medical center, recognized limitations in how the professional interpreters from the Diversity Services Department were used to support effective patient-provider communication across the organization. Given the importance of mitigating language and communication barriers, CHLA sought to minimize clinical and structural barriers to health care for limited English proficiency populations through a comprehensive restructuring of the Diversity Services Department. This approach entailed a new delivery model for hospital language assistance and cultural consultancy resources. The intervention focused on restructuring the Diversity Services Department, redefining priorities, reallocating resources, and redefining the roles of the language staff positions in the department. The language staff role was redesigned to fit a four-level professional career ladder modeled after the professional career ladders commonly used in hospitals for the RN role and other professional disciplines. The approach involved creating new levels of language specialist, each with progressive requirements for performance, leadership, and accountability for patient care outcomes. Language staff in the inpatient, clinic, and emergency department settings worked alongside nurses, physicians, and other disciplines to care for a specific set of patients. The result of this work was a positive culture change resulting in service efficiencies, care improvements, and improved access to language services. A professional career ladder for language staff contributed to improving the quality and access of language services and advancing the interpreting profession by incorporating care coordination support, vital document translation, and cultural consultancy.

Effects of tonal language background on tests of temporal sequencing in children.

PubMed

Mukari, Siti Zamratol-Mai S; Yu, Xuan; Ishak, Wan Syafira; Mazlan, Rafidah

2015-01-01

The aims of the present study were to determine the effects of language background on the performance of the pitch pattern sequence test (PPST) and duration pattern sequence test (DPST). As temporal order sequencing may be affected by age and working memory, these factors were also studied. Performance of tonal and non-tonal language speakers on PPST and DPST were compared. Twenty-eight native Mandarin (tonal language) speakers and twenty-nine native Malay (non-tonal language) speakers between seven to nine years old participated in this study. The results revealed that relative to native Malay speakers, native Mandarin speakers demonstrated better scores on the PPST in both humming and verbal labeling responses. However, a similar language effect was not apparent in the DPST. An age effect was only significant in the PPST (verbal labeling). Finally, no significant effect of working memory was found on the PPST and the DPST. These findings suggest that the PPST is affected by tonal language background, and highlight the importance of developing different normative values for tonal and non-tonal language speakers.

Factors that May Contribute to the Placement of Latino English Language Learners in Special Education: Perceptions of Directors of Special Education in California

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alvarez, Dante

2010-01-01

The problem: Research indicates that Latino English language learners in California are placed in special education classes at a higher rate than other states. The factors that determine placement of Latino English learners such as language barriers, transiency, poverty, and teacher training may create challenges for Directors of Special…

Low uptake of Aboriginal interpreters in healthcare: exploration of current use in Australia's Northern Territory.

PubMed

Ralph, Anna P; Lowell, Anne; Murphy, Jean; Dias, Tara; Butler, Deborah; Spain, Brian; Hughes, Jaquelyne T; Campbell, Lauren; Bauert, Barbara; Salter, Claire; Tune, Kylie; Cass, Alan

2017-11-15

In Australia's Northern Territory, most Aboriginal people primarily speak an Aboriginal language. Poor communication between healthcare providers and Aboriginal people results in adverse outcomes including death. This study aimed to identify remediable barriers to utilisation of Aboriginal Interpreter services at the Northern Territory's tertiary hospital, which currently manages over 25,000 Aboriginal inpatients annually. This is a multi-method study using key stakeholder discussions, medical file audit, bookings data from the Aboriginal Interpreter Service 2000-2015 and an online cross-sectional staff survey. The Donabedian framework was used to categorise findings into structure, process and outcome. Six key stakeholder meetings each with approximately 15 participants were conducted. A key structural barrier identified was lack of onsite interpreters. Interpreter bookings data revealed that only 7603 requests were made during the 15-year period, with completion of requests decreasing from 337/362 (93.1%) in 2003-4 to 649/831 (78.1%) in 2014-15 (p < 0.001). Non-completion was more common for minority languages (p < 0.001). Medical files of 103 Aboriginal inpatients were audited. Language was documented for 13/103 (12.6%). Up to 60/103 (58.3%) spoke an Aboriginal language primarily. Of 422 staff who participated in the survey, 18.0% had not received 'cultural competency' training; of those who did, 58/222 (26.2%) indicated it was insufficient. The Aboriginal Interpreter Service effectiveness was reported to be good by 209/368 (56.8%), but only 101/367 (27.5%) found it timely. Key process barriers identified by staff included booking complexities, time constraints, inadequate delivery of tools and training, and greater convenience of unofficial interpreters. We identified multiple structural and process barriers resulting in the outcomes of poor language documentation and low rates of interpreter bookings. Findings are now informing interventions to improve communication.

Marketing Across Cultures: Issues, Problems and Opportunities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdrabboh, Bob

Now more than ever, a clear knowledge and understanding of languages, cultures, and customs is essential to successfully marketing products and services around the world. Barriers to competition may occur in differences in language, technology levels, conceptions of authority, environmental perceptions, contexting, and social organization. In…

Survey on Services to Multicultural Populations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olivier, Lee; And Others

1994-01-01

Reports results of a recent national survey that examined the availability and variety of services provided to multicultural populations by medium and large public libraries. Highlights include measuring multicultural activity; planning for new services; staffing; languages; literacy and English-as-a-Second-Language programs; and barriers to…

Striking a Balance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Susan Ferguson; Green, Andre

2012-01-01

Learning centers can help teachers assess students' content knowledge without penalizing them for language barriers. With the increasing number of English language learners (ELLs) in classrooms, the emphasis on mastery of content and inclusion of all students in class discussions and activities will provide all students a chance for scientific…

Teaching Creole-Speaking Children: Issues, Concerns and Resolutions for the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wigglesworth, Gillian; Billington, Rosey

2013-01-01

There are now significant numbers of children who speak a language other than English when they enter the formal school system in Australia. Many of these children come from a language background that is entirely different from the school language. Many Indigenous children, however, come from creole-speaking backgrounds where their home language…

Language and Literacy in Bilingual Children. Child Language and Child Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oller, D. Kimbrough, Ed.; Eilers, Rebecca E., Ed.

This collection of papers reports research on the effects of bilingual learning on the ability to speak two languages and the ability to acquire full literacy in both. There are 12 chapters in 4 parts. Part 1, "Background," includes (1) "Assessing the Effects of Bilingualism: A Background" (D. Kimbrough Oller and Barbara Zurer…

Towards a Well-Being Focussed Language Pedagogy: Enabling Arts-Based, Multilingual Learning Spaces for Young People with Refugee Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frimberger, Katja

2016-01-01

The following article explores the conceptual background and pedagogical realities of establishing a well-being focussed language pedagogy in the context of an informal educational event called "Language Fest". The event was organised as part of the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council-funded large grant project "Researching…

Experiences of French Speaking Immigrants and Non-immigrants Accessing Health Care Services in a Large Canadian City

PubMed Central

Ngwakongnwi, Emmanuel; Hemmelgarn, Brenda R.; Musto, Richard; Quan, Hude; King-Shier, Kathryn M.

2012-01-01

French speakers residing in predominantly English-speaking communities have been linked to difficulties accessing health care. This study examined health care access experiences of immigrants and non-immigrants who self-identify as Francophone or French speakers in a mainly English speaking province of Canada. We used semi-structured interviews to gather opinions of recent users of physician and hospital services (N = 26). Language barriers and difficulties finding family doctors were experienced by both French speaking immigrants and non-immigrants alike. This was exacerbated by a general preference for health services in French and less interest in using language interpreters during a medical consultation. Some participants experienced emotional distress, were discontent with care received, often delayed seeking care due to language barriers. Recent immigrants identified lack of insurance coverage for drugs, transportation difficulties and limited knowledge of the healthcare system as major detractors to achieving health. This study provided the groundwork for future research on health issues of official language minorities in Canada. PMID:23202772

A qualitative exploration of trial-related terminology in a study involving Deaf British Sign Language users.

PubMed

Young, Alys; Oram, Rosemary; Dodds, Claire; Nassimi-Green, Catherine; Belk, Rachel; Rogers, Katherine; Davies, Linda; Lovell, Karina

2016-04-27

Internationally, few clinical trials have involved Deaf people who use a signed language and none have involved BSL (British Sign Language) users. Appropriate terminology in BSL for key concepts in clinical trials that are relevant to recruitment and participant information materials, to support informed consent, do not exist. Barriers to conceptual understanding of trial participation and sources of misunderstanding relevant to the Deaf community are undocumented. A qualitative, community participatory exploration of trial terminology including conceptual understanding of 'randomisation', 'trial', 'informed choice' and 'consent' was facilitated in BSL involving 19 participants in five focus groups. Data were video-recorded and analysed in source language (BSL) using a phenomenological approach. Six necessary conditions for developing trial information to support comprehension were identified. These included: developing appropriate expressions and terminology from a community basis, rather than testing out previously derived translations from a different language; paying attention to language-specific features which support best means of expression (in the case of BSL expectations of specificity, verb directionality, handshape); bilingual influences on comprehension; deliberate orientation of information to avoid misunderstanding not just to promote accessibility; sensitivity to barriers to discussion about intelligibility of information that are cultural and social in origin, rather than linguistic; the importance of using contemporary language-in-use, rather than jargon-free or plain language, to support meaningful understanding. The study reinforces the ethical imperative to ensure trial participants who are Deaf are provided with optimum resources to understand the implications of participation and to make an informed choice. Results are relevant to the development of trial information in other signed languages as well as in spoken/written languages when participants' language use is different from the dominant language of the country.

Environmental and Psychosocial Barriers to and Benefits of Cervical Cancer Screening in Kenya

PubMed Central

Ragan, Kathleen; Lee Smith, Judith; Saraiya, Mona; Aketch, Millicent

2017-01-01

Abstract Background. Cervical cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in females and is a leading cause of cancer‐related mortality in Kenya; limited cervical cancer screening services may be a factor. Few studies have examined men's and women's perceptions on environmental and psychosocial barriers and benefits related to screening. Materials and Methods. In 2014, 60 women aged 25–49 years and 40 male partners participated in 10 focus groups (6 female and 4 male), in both rural and urban settings (Nairobi and Nyanza, Kenya), to explore perceptions about barriers to and benefits of cervical cancer screening. Focus groups were segmented by sex, language, geographic location, and screening status. Data were transcribed, translated into English, and analyzed by using qualitative software. Results. Participants identified screening as beneficial for initiating provider discussions about cancer but did not report it as a beneficial method for detecting precancers. Perceived screening barriers included access (transportation, cost), spousal approval, stigma, embarrassment during screening, concerns about speculum use causing infertility, fear of residual effects of test results, lack of knowledge, and religious or cultural beliefs. All participants reported concerns with having a male doctor perform screening tests; however, men uniquely reported the young age of a doctor as a barrier. Conclusion. Identifying perceived barriers and benefits among people in low‐ and middle‐income countries is important to successfully implementing emerging screening programs. The novel findings on barriers and benefits from this study can inform the development of targeted community outreach activities, communication strategies, and educational messages for patients, families, and providers. Implications for Practice. This article provides important information for stakeholders in clinical practice and research when assessing knowledge, beliefs, and acceptability of cervical cancer screening and treatment services in low‐ and middle‐resourced countries. Formative research findings provide information that could be used in the development of health interventions, community education messages, and materials. Additionally, this study illuminates the importance of understanding psychosocial barriers and facilitators to cervical cancer screening, community education, and reduction of stigma as important methods of improving prevention programs and increasing rates of screening among women. PMID:28167567

Designing Caregiver-Implemented Shared-Reading Interventions to Overcome Implementation Barriers

PubMed Central

Logan, Jessica R.; Damschroder, Laura

2015-01-01

Purpose This study presents an application of the theoretical domains framework (TDF; Michie et al., 2005), an integrative framework drawing on behavior-change theories, to speech-language pathology. Methods A multistep procedure was used to identify barriers affecting caregivers' implementation of shared-reading interventions with their children with language impairment (LI). The authors examined caregiver-level data corresponding to implementation issues from two randomized controlled trials and mapped these to domains in the TDF as well as empirically validated behavior-change techniques. Results Four barriers to implementation were identified as potentially affecting caregivers' implementation: time pressures, reading difficulties, discomfort with reading, and lack of awareness of benefits. These were mapped to 3 TDF domains: intentions, beliefs about capabilities, and skills. In turn, 4 behavior-change techniques were identified as potential vehicles for affecting these domains: reward, feedback, model, and encourage. An ongoing study is described that is determining the effects of these techniques for improving caregivers' implementation of a shared-reading intervention. Conclusions A description of the steps to identifying barriers to implementation, in conjunction with an ongoing experiment that will explicitly determine whether behavior-change techniques affect these barriers, provides a model for how implementation science can be used to identify and overcome implementation barriers in the treatment of communication disorders. PMID:26262941

Designing Caregiver-Implemented Shared-Reading Interventions to Overcome Implementation Barriers.

PubMed

Justice, Laura M; Logan, Jessica R; Damschroder, Laura

2015-12-01

This study presents an application of the theoretical domains framework (TDF; Michie et al., 2005), an integrative framework drawing on behavior-change theories, to speech-language pathology. A multistep procedure was used to identify barriers affecting caregivers' implementation of shared-reading interventions with their children with language impairment (LI). The authors examined caregiver-level data corresponding to implementation issues from two randomized controlled trials and mapped these to domains in the TDF as well as empirically validated behavior-change techniques. Four barriers to implementation were identified as potentially affecting caregivers' implementation: time pressures, reading difficulties, discomfort with reading, and lack of awareness of benefits. These were mapped to 3 TDF domains: intentions, beliefs about capabilities, and skills. In turn, 4 behavior-change techniques were identified as potential vehicles for affecting these domains: reward, feedback, model, and encourage. An ongoing study is described that is determining the effects of these techniques for improving caregivers' implementation of a shared-reading intervention. A description of the steps to identifying barriers to implementation, in conjunction with an ongoing experiment that will explicitly determine whether behavior-change techniques affect these barriers, provides a model for how implementation science can be used to identify and overcome implementation barriers in the treatment of communication disorders.

Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations in Medical Research: Perceptions and Experiences of Older Italians, Their Families, Ethics Administrators and Researchers.

PubMed

Woodward-Kron, Robyn; Hughson, Jo-Anne; Parker, Anna; Bresin, Agnese; Hajek, John; Knoch, Ute; Phan, Tuong Dien; Story, David

2016-04-26

Low-participation of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) patients in medical research remains a problem in migrant and refugee destination countries such as Australia. The aims of this study were to explore i) CALD persons' perceptions and experiences of the medical system and medical research, in this case, older Italian Australians; and ii) the views of research professionals on CALD patient participation in medical research. A qualitative study was conducted in Melbourne, Australia, in 2015 utilising in-depth interviews and focus groups with four stakeholder groups: older Italian Australians (n=21); adult children of older Italian Australians (n=10); hospital Human Research Ethics Committee administrators (n=4); and clinical researchers (n=4). The data were analysed for content and thematic analysis. Themes for the CALD and family group were getting by in medical interactions; receptivity to medical research: testing the waters; and, receptivity to technology for support: passive versus active. Themes for the researcher and HREC groups about CALD patient participation in research were: exclusion; cultural factors; and e-consent. Our findings from four stakeholder perspectives and experiences confirm that there were considerable cultural, linguistic, and resourcing barriers hindering the participation of older Italian-Australians in medical research. Furthermore, our findings showed that in this study setting there were few enabling strategies in place to address these barriers despite the national ethics guidelines for equitable participation in research. The findings informed the creation of a multimedia tool whose purpose is to address and improve representation of CALD groups in clinical research. Significance for public healthMany people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds remain excluded from medical research such as clinical trials due to a range of language and cultural factors that can be amplified when this population is ageing. This exclusion has implications for the ability of CALD populations to benefit from participating in medical research and for applying research findings to CALD populations. It is essential to develop and implement strategies to include CALD communities in medical research and to uphold the ethical obligation of obtaining informed consent to research. The findings of this study have guided the development of a tablet-based resource which can be used in clinical and community contexts to raise awareness about the purpose of medical research. The resource has been carefully designed to be appropriate for participants' cultural background as well as their preferred language and literacy level. Such a resource has potential to address some of the cultural and linguistic barriers to clinical trial participation of CALD populations.

Breaking the language barrier: machine assisted diagnosis using the medical speech translator.

PubMed

Starlander, Marianne; Bouillon, Pierrette; Rayner, Manny; Chatzichrisafis, Nikos; Hockey, Beth Ann; Isahara, Hitoshi; Kanzaki, Kyoko; Nakao, Yukie; Santaholma, Marianne

2005-01-01

In this paper, we describe and evaluate an Open Source medical speech translation system (MedSLT) intended for safety-critical applications. The aim of this system is to eliminate the language barriers in emergency situation. It translates spoken questions from English into French, Japanese and Finnish in three medical subdomains (headache, chest pain and abdominal pain), using a vocabulary of about 250-400 words per sub-domain. The architecture is a compromise between fixed-phrase translation on one hand and complex linguistically-based systems on the other. Recognition is guided by a Context Free Grammar Language Model compiled from a general unification grammar, automatically specialised for the domain. We present an evaluation of this initial prototype that shows the advantages of this grammar-based approach for this particular translation task in term of both reliability and use.

Using E-Books to Acquire Foundational Academic Vocabulary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Love, Matthew L.; Spies, Tracy G.; Morgan, Joseph J.

2017-01-01

Secondary students identified as English language learners or with learning disabilities present diverse vocabulary and academic challenges related to their exceptional language needs. Limited academic vocabulary may hinder students in accessing academic content and serve as a barrier to achievement. The literature has documented the use of…

Bridging a Cultural Divide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Previdi, Patricia; Belfrage, Mary; Hu, Florence

2005-01-01

Playing an active role in a child's education can be especially difficult for parents of English Language Learners (ELL) and Limited English Proficiency (LEP) students. Differences in cultural beliefs and language are often barriers to effective parent-school interaction. Such cultural discontinuities between home and school can affect a child's…

‘I felt pain. Deep pain…’: Experiences of primary caregivers of stroke survivors with aphasia in a South African township

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Background Aphasia is an acquired impairment in language and in the cognitive processes that underlie language. Aphasia affects the quality of life of the person with aphasia (PWA) and his or her families in various ways in diverse contexts and cultures. It is therefore important that speech language therapists understand how different contextual and cultural factors may mediate experiences. Purpose The aim of the study was to describe the caregiving experience of female caregivers of PWA residing in Tembisa, a township situated in the east of Johannesburg. Method Qualitative, semi-structured interviews were conducted with primary caregivers of PWA. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 14 primary caregivers of PWA who were daughters, daughters-in-law or wives of the PWA. The interviews were conducted in participants’ first language and analysed by the researcher, who is proficient in isiZulu. Data were analysed according to the principles of thematic analysis. Results Findings indicated that caregivers are unfamiliar with aphasia and the support available to them. Participants experienced frustration and found communication to be challenging owing to their lack of communication strategies. The participants’ experiences reflected their context-specific experiences, such as feminisation of caregiving, barriers to healthcare, the influence of low health literacy and contextual perspectives on stroke and aphasia. Conclusions Contextual factors of caregivers in Tembisa have an influence on the experiences between caregivers and PWA, the feelings of individuals and families and health-seeking behaviours of individuals and families. PMID:29535917

Self-Concept and Native Language Background: A Study of Measurement Invariance and Cross-Group Comparisons in Third Grade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niehaus, Kate; Adelson, Jill L.

2013-01-01

This study examined the measurement and interpretation of self-concept among the growing population of children who are English Language Learners (ELLs). More specifically, a 3-group analysis was conducted comparing native English-speaking children, Spanish-speaking ELLs, and ELLs from Asian language backgrounds. Data were drawn from the Early…

Growth in Reading-Related Skills of Language Minority Learners and Their Classmates: More Evidence for Early Identification and Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kieffer, Michael J.; Vukovic, Rose K.

2013-01-01

This longitudinal study investigated growth in reading-related skills between Grade 1 and 4 for language minority (LM) learners and their native English-speaking classmates from similarly low socioeconomic backgrounds (N = 166). Growth trajectories were compared by language background and by Grade 4 reading difficulties, with the goal of informing…

Elite Bilingualism? Language Use among Multilingual Teenagers of Swedish Background in European Schools and International Schools in Europe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rydenvald, Marie

2015-01-01

This article explores the language use and language attitudes as reported by a number of multilingual teenagers with a Swedish background in European Schools and international schools in Europe. Special attention is given to the concepts of Third Culture Kids and elite bilingualism in relation to teenagers' multilingualism. This study is based on…

A Critical Analysis of the Language Background Other than English (LBOTE) Category in the Australian National Testing System: A Foucauldian Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Creagh, Sue

2016-01-01

This article presents a Foucauldian analysis of the political rationalities of national testing and accountability practices in Australia, and their inconsistencies for students for whom English is a second or additional language. It focuses on a problem associated with the statistical data category "Language Background Other Than…

Are Alphabetic Language-Derived Models of L2 Reading Relevant to L1 Logographic Background Readers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ehrich, John Fitzgerald; Zhang, Lawrence Jun; Mu, Jon Congjun; Ehrich, Lisa Catherine

2013-01-01

In this paper, we argue that second language (L2) reading research, which has been informed by studies involving first language (L1) alphabetic English reading, may be less relevant to L2 readers with non-alphabetic reading backgrounds, such as Chinese readers with an L1 logographic (Chinese character) learning history. We provide both…

A minority perspective in the diagnosis of child language disorders.

PubMed

Seymour, H N; Bland, L

1991-01-01

The effective diagnosis and treatment of persons from diverse minority language backgrounds has become an important issue in the field of speech and language pathology. Yet, many SLPs have had little or no formal training in minority language, there is a paucity of normative data on language acquisition in minority groups, and there are few standardized speech and language tests appropriate for these groups. We described a diagnostic process that addresses these problems. The diagnostic protocol we have proposed for a child from a Black English-speaking background characterizes many of the major issues in treating minority children. In summary, we proposed four assessment strategies: gathering referral source data; making direct observations; using standardized tests of non-speech and language behavior (cognition, perception, motor, etc.); and eliciting language samples and probes.

Acoustical Barriers To Learning: Children at Risk in Every Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Peggy B.; Soli, Sig

2000-01-01

This article reviews relevant literature on acoustical barriers to successful learning and provides guidance for school personnel making decisions regarding classroom facilities. Effects of noisy classrooms on young listeners, second language learners, and those with hearing loss are discussed. A rationale for the classroom acoustics standards is…

Designing Caregiver-Implemented Shared-Reading Interventions to Overcome Implementation Barriers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Justice, Laura M.; Logan, Jessica R.; Damschroder, Laura

2015-01-01

Purpose: This study presents an application of the theoretical domains framework (TDF; Michie et al., 2005), an integrative framework drawing on behavior-change theories, to speech-language pathology. Methods: A multistep procedure was used to identify barriers affecting caregivers' implementation of shared-reading interventions with their…

The Effect of Language Specific Factors on Early Written Composition: The Role of Spelling, Oral Language and Text Generation Skills in a Shallow Orthography

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arfé, Barbara; Dockrell, Julie E.; De Bernardi, Bianca

2016-01-01

Spelling skills have been identified as one of the major barriers to written text production in young English writers. By contrast oral language skills and text generation have been found to be less influential in the texts produced by beginning writers. To date, our understanding of the role of spelling skills in transparent orthographies is…

The Efficacy of a Digital Mathematics Intervention for English Language Learners in U.S. High Schools: An Analysis Using Sen's Capabilities Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freeman, Barbara

2010-01-01

English language learners (ELLs) often find themselves marginalized with respect to learning mathematics in U.S. schools due, in part, to language barriers and gaps in prerequisite math knowledge and skills. The goal of this study was to use Sen's (1980, 1992, 1999) capabilities approach model as a lens through which to analyze the relationship…

Development of a Competency Model for Civil-Military Teaming

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

language differences, lack of familiarity/understanding between military and civilian organizations, and lack of unity of effort. These barriers can...knowledge, skills, and abilities in the CMT categories), the CMT competency was listed as related. For four of the BPC categories ( Language diversity...Foreign Language Strategy, from those that are not. The authors found that some of the 21 foundational skills for BPC were already adequately addressed

Barriers to Research Utilization Scale: psychometric properties of the Turkish version.

PubMed

Temel, Ayla Bayik; Uysal, Aynur; Ardahan, Melek; Ozkahraman, Sukran

2010-02-01

This paper is report of a study designed to assess the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Barriers to Research Utilization Scale. The original Barriers to Research Utilization Scale was developed by Funk et al. in the United States of America. Many researchers in various countries have used this scale to identify barriers to research utilization. A methodological study was carried out at four hospitals. The sample consisted of 300 nurses. Data were collected in 2005 using a socio-demographic form (12 questions) and the Turkish version of the Barriers to Research Utilization Scale. A Likert-type scale composed of four sub-factors and 29 items was used. Means and standard deviations were calculated for interval level data. A P value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Language equivalence and content validity were assessed by eight experts. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the Turkish version was made up of four subscales. Internal consistency reliability coefficient was 0.92 for the total scale and ranged from 0.73 to 0.80 for the subscales. Total-item correlation coefficients ranged from 0.37 to 0.60. The Turkish version of the scale is similar in structure to the original English language scale.

911 (nueve once): Spanish-speaking parents' perspectives on prehospital emergency care for children.

PubMed

Watts, Jennifer; Cowden, John D; Cupertino, A Paula; Dowd, M Denise; Kennedy, Chris

2011-06-01

Racial, ethnic and language-based disparities occur throughout the US health system. Pediatric prehospital emergency medical services are less likely to be used by Latinos. We identified perceptions of and barriers to prehospital pediatric emergency care (911) access among Spanish-speaking parents. A qualitative study involving six focus groups was conducted. Spanish-speaking parents participated with a bilingual moderator. Topics discussed included experiences, knowledge, beliefs, fears, barriers, and improvement strategies. All groups were audiotaped, transcribed, and reviewed for recurring themes. Forty-nine parents participated. Though parents believed 911 was available to all, many were uncertain how to use it, and what qualified as an emergency. Barriers included language discordance, fear of exposing immigration status, and fear of financial consequences. Parents strongly desired to learn more about 911 through classes, brochures, and media campaigns. Prehospital emergency care should be available to all children. Further quantitative studies may help solidify the identified barriers and uncover areas needing improvement within Emergency Medical Systems. Addressing barriers to 911 use in Spanish-speaking communities could improve the equity of health care delivery, while also decreasing the amount of non-emergency 911 use.

Laterality across languages: Results from a global dichotic listening study using a smartphone application

PubMed Central

Bless, Josef J.; Westerhausen, René; Torkildsen, Janne von Koss; Gudmundsen, Magne; Kompus, Kristiina; Hugdahl, Kenneth

2015-01-01

Left-hemispheric language dominance has been suggested by observations in patients with brain damages as early as the 19th century, and has since been confirmed by modern behavioural and brain imaging techniques. Nevertheless, most of these studies have been conducted in small samples with predominantly Anglo-American background, thus limiting generalization and possible differences between cultural and linguistic backgrounds may be obscured. To overcome this limitation, we conducted a global dichotic listening experiment using a smartphone application for remote data collection. The results from over 4,000 participants with more than 60 different language backgrounds showed that left-hemispheric language dominance is indeed a general phenomenon. However, the degree of lateralization appears to be modulated by linguistic background. These results suggest that more emphasis should be placed on cultural/linguistic specificities of psychological phenomena and on the need to collect more diverse samples. PMID:25588000

Laterality across languages: Results from a global dichotic listening study using a smartphone application.

PubMed

Bless, Josef J; Westerhausen, René; von Koss Torkildsen, Janne; Gudmundsen, Magne; Kompus, Kristiina; Hugdahl, Kenneth

2015-01-01

Left-hemispheric language dominance has been suggested by observations in patients with brain damages as early as the 19th century, and has since been confirmed by modern behavioural and brain imaging techniques. Nevertheless, most of these studies have been conducted in small samples with predominantly Anglo-American background, thus limiting generalization and possible differences between cultural and linguistic backgrounds may be obscured. To overcome this limitation, we conducted a global dichotic listening experiment using a smartphone application for remote data collection. The results from over 4,000 participants with more than 60 different language backgrounds showed that left-hemispheric language dominance is indeed a general phenomenon. However, the degree of lateralization appears to be modulated by linguistic background. These results suggest that more emphasis should be placed on cultural/linguistic specificities of psychological phenomena and on the need to collect more diverse samples.

Perceived barriers in accessing food among recent Latin American immigrants in Toronto

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Objective In Canada, recent immigrant households experience more food insecurity than the general population, but limited information is available about the personal, cultural, and social factors that contribute to this vulnerability. This study focused on recent Latin American (LA) immigrants to explore their perceived barriers in acquiring safe, nutritious, and culturally-appropriate food. Design A cross-sectional mixed-method design was applied to collect information from a convenience sample of 70 adult Spanish/Portuguese speakers who had arrived in Toronto within the last five years. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with primary household caregivers to obtain responses about barriers to acquiring food for their households; data were analyzed using a thematic analysis technique. Results Four main categories of barriers were identified: limited financial resources; language difficulty; cultural food preferences; and poor knowledge of available community-based food resources and services. Inadequate income was the main impediment in accessing adequate food, and was related to affordability of food items, accessibility of food outlets and transportation cost, and limited time for grocery shopping due to work conditions. Language barriers affected participants’ ability to obtain well-paid employment and their awareness about and access to available community-based food resources. Cultural barriers were related to food preferences and limited access to culturally-appropriate foods and resources. Conclusion The main barrier to food security among our sample of LA newcomers to Toronto is limited financial resources, highlighting the need for policies and strategies that could improve their financial power to purchase sufficient, nutritious, and culturally-acceptable food. Linguistic barriers and limited information among newcomers suggest the need to provide linguistically- and culturally-appropriate information related to community-based food programs and resources, as well as accessible subsidized English language programs, in the community and at workplaces. Participatory community-based food programs can augment, in a socially acceptable manner, food resources and reduce the social stigma attached to food charity. Finally, it is crucial to monitor and evaluate existing social and community-based services for their accessibility, cultural appropriateness and diversity, and effectiveness. PMID:23286318

Factors affecting access to healthcare services by intermarried Filipino women in rural Tasmania: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Hannah, Chona T; Lê, Quynh

2012-10-01

Access to health care services is vital for every migrant's health and wellbeing. However, migrants' cultural health beliefs and views can hinder their ability to access available services. This study examined factors affecting access to healthcare services for intermarried Filipino women in rural Tasmania, Australia. A qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews was employed to investigate the factors affecting access to healthcare services for 30 intermarried Filipino women in rural Tasmania. The study used grounded theory and thematic analysis for its data analysis. Nvivo v8 (www.qsrinternational.com) was also used to assist the data coding process and analysis. Five influencing factors were identified: (1) language or communication barriers; (2) area of origin in the Philippines; (3) cultural barriers; (4) length of stay in Tasmania; and (5) expectations of healthcare services before and after migration. Factors affecting intermarried Filipino women in accessing healthcare services are shaped by their socio-demographic and cultural background. The insights gained from this study are useful to health policy-makers, healthcare professionals and to intermarried female migrants. The factors identified can serve as a guide to improve healthcare access for Filipino women and other migrants.

Waiting Room Education in a Community Health System: Provider Perceptions and Suggestions.

PubMed

Beckwith, Noor; Jean-Baptiste, Marie-Louise; Katz, Arlene

2016-12-01

The increasing burden of chronic diseases in the United States presents a major challenge to the nation's primary care systems, so improving the efficacy and efficiency of patient education is an important goal. Understanding the current perspectives, practices, and needs of primary care providers should guide innovation towards this end. As a part of the authors' ongoing quality improvement work, a short internet survey was an effective method of enhancing this understanding in one health care system. With a response rate of 24.6 %, the survey revealed that primary care waiting rooms in the health system studied are not conceived of or used by providers as spaces to engage patients in health education. To change this, providers suggested using both printed and technological methods for delivering health information, primarily related to medications, diabetes, and healthy lifestyle practices. Common barriers to improvement cited by providers included diverse language and literacy backgrounds in the patient population, as well as difficulty sustaining change due to infrastructural and administrative barriers. These results suggest steps for development, implementation, and investigation of new educational interventions for patients in the local primary care context.

Incorporating Community Engagement Language into Promotion and Tenure Policies: One University's Journey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pelco, Lynn E.; Howard, Catherine

2016-01-01

This case study describes the campus context and process for successfully including community engagement language into promotion and tenure policies at Virginia Commonwealth University, a high research, urban public university. The paper also describes barriers our campus faced during the promotion and tenure policy revision process, especially…

Family Involvement in a Hawaiian Language Immersion Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yamauchi, Lois A.; Lau-Smith, Jo-Anne; Luning, Rebecca J. I.

2008-01-01

This study investigated the ways in which family members of students in a Hawaiian language immersion program were involved in their children's education and identified the effects of and barriers to involvement. A sociocultural theoretical approach and Epstein's framework of different types of involvement were applied. Participants included 35…

English Language Learners and Judicial Oversight: Progeny of "Castaneda"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sutton, Lenford C.; Cornelius, Luke; McDonald-Gordon, Robyn

2012-01-01

When the 93rd Congress enacted the Equal Education Opportunity Act of 1974 (EEOA), it required states to take appropriate action to overcome language barriers that inhibited equal education participation by their resident students. An examination of the EEOA legislative testimony suggests elected officials established the law to set forth…

The Business Language Teacher: The Problem of Being Taken Seriously.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schons, Paul A.

The efforts of the foreign languages department at the College of St. Thomas to introduce a new major in international business illustrate the psychological barriers to innovation. Neither the college's business department nor the local multinational corporations took international business very seriously, and the new endeavor was received with…

Using Foreign Virtual Patients With Medical Students in Germany: Are Cultural Differences Evident and Do They Impede Learning?

PubMed

Walldorf, Jens; Jähnert, Tina; Berman, Norman B; Fischer, Martin R

2016-09-27

Learning with virtual patients (VPs) is considered useful in medical education for fostering clinical reasoning. As the authoring of VPs is highly demanding, an international exchange of cases might be desirable. However, cultural differences in foreign VPs might hamper learning success. We investigated the need for support for using VPs from the United States at a German university, with respect to language and cultural differences. Our goal was to better understand potential implementation barriers of a intercultural VP exchange. Two VPs were presented to 30 German medical students featuring a cultural background different from German standards with respect to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, ethical aspects, role models, and language (as identified by a cultural adaptation framework). Participants were assigned to two groups: 14 students were advised to complete the cases without further instructions (basic group), and 16 students received written explanatory supplemental information specifically with regard to cultural differences (supplement group). Using a 6-point scale (6=strongly agree), we analyzed the results of an integrated assessment of learning success as well as an evaluation of cases by the students on usefulness for learning and potential issues regarding the language and cultural background. The German students found it motivating to work with cases written in English (6-point scale, 4.5 points). The clinical relevance of the VPs was clearly recognized (6 points), and the foreign language was considered a minor problem in this context (3 points). The results of the integrated learning assessment were similar in both groups (basic 53% [SD 4] vs supplement 52% [SD 4] correct answers, P=.32). However, students using the supplemental material more readily realized culturally different diagnostic and therapeutic strategies (basic 4 vs supplement 5 points, P=.39) and were less affirmative when asked about the transferability of cases to a German context (basic 5 vs supplement 3 points, P=.048). German students found English VPs to be highly clinically relevant, and they rated language problems much lower than they rated motivation to work on cases in English. This should encourage the intercultural exchange of VPs. The provision of supplemental explanatory material facilitates the recognition of cultural differences and might help prevent unexpected learning effects.

Combat Simulation Using Breach Computer Language

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-09-01

simulation and weapon system analysis computer language Two types of models were constructed: a stochastic duel and a dynamic engagement model The... duel model validates the BREACH approach by comparing results with mathematical solutions. The dynamic model shows the capability of the BREACH...BREACH 2 Background 2 The Language 3 Static Duel 4 Background and Methodology 4 Validation 5 Results 8 Tank Duel Simulation 8 Dynamic Assault Model

Early Literacy and the ESL Learner: Participants' Manual. For Early Childhood Educators Working with Children from Language Backgrounds Other Than English.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Language Australia, Melbourne (Victoria).

This volume is a professional development resource for early childhood educators, especially designed for those working with children from language backgrounds other than English. This resource is designed to fill a gap in English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) education that has neglected the professional development needs of teachers of preschool…

Reading Proficiency and Comparability of Mathematics and Science Scores for Students from English and Non-English Backgrounds: An International Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ercikan, Kadriye; Chen, Michelle Y.; Lyons-Thomas, Juliette; Goodrich, Shawna; Sandilands, Debra; Roth, Wolff-Michael; Simon, Marielle

2015-01-01

The purpose of this research is to examine the comparability of mathematics and science scores for students from English language backgrounds (ELB) and non-English language backgrounds (NELB). We examine the relationship between English reading proficiency and performance on mathematics and science assessments in Australia, Canada, the United…

Pragmatic Language Impairment and Associated Behavioural Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ketelaars, Mieke P.; Cuperus, Juliane; Jansonius, Kino; Verhoeven, Ludo

2010-01-01

Background: Specific language impairment (SLI) is diagnosed when a child shows isolated structural language problems. The diagnosis of pragmatic language impairment (PLI) is given to children who show difficulties with the use of language in context. Unlike children with SLI, these children tend to show relatively intact structural language skills…

General practitioners' knowledge and management of viral hepatitis in the migrant population.

PubMed

Guirgis, M; Yan, K; Bu, Y M; Zekry, A

2012-05-01

Escalating morbidity and mortality associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections represent a major health burden in Australia, particularly among migrants from endemic areas who may present late. We evaluated the knowledge and educational needs of general practitioners (GPs) in the St George Division, Sydney which serves a large migrant population. The aims of the study were to identify gaps in knowledge about viral hepatitis that may affect management and referral patterns. GPs completed a survey comprised of 15 questions. They were also invited to comment on barriers to managing viral hepatitis in migrant patients. A 44% response rate was achieved from 280 eligible GPs. Forty-two per cent of GPs lacked confidence in interpreting HCV serology and 20% for HBV serology. Twenty-two per cent of GPs did not recognise HCC as a complication of HBV and 18% for HCV. Twenty per cent of GPs were unaware of treatment for HBV. Forty-seven per cent of GPs were uncertain whether pregnant women could receive HCV treatment. Twenty-three per cent and 21% of respondents believed that all HCV- or HBV-infected mothers, respectively, should not breast-feed. Eighty-nine per cent of GPs identified language difficulties as the main barrier to treatment among the migrant population. There were gaps in the knowledge of GPs particularly concerning natural history, diagnosis, treatment availability and management of pregnant or lactating women with viral hepatitis. Specific educational initiatives targeting these deficits are required as well as increased availability of language resources for managing patients from a non-English-speaking background. © 2011 The Authors. Internal Medicine Journal © 2011 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

Exploring the experiences and coping strategies of international medical students

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Few studies have addressed the challenges that international medical students face and there is a dearth of information on the behavioural strategies these students adopt to successfully progress through their academic program in the face of substantial difficulties of language barrier, curriculum overload, financial constraints and assessment tasks that require high proficiency in communication skills. Methods This study was designed primarily with the aim of enhancing understanding of the coping strategies, skill perceptions and knowledge of assessment expectations of international students as they progress through the third and fourth years of their medical degree at the School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Australia. Results Survey, focus group discussion and individual interviews revealed that language barriers, communication skills, cultural differences, financial burdens, heavy workloads and discriminatory bottlenecks were key factors that hindered their adaptation to the Australian culture. Quantitative analyses of their examination results showed that there were highly significant (p < 0.001) variations between student performances in multiple choice questions, short answer questions and objective structured clinical examinations (70.3%, 49.7% & 61.7% respectively), indicating existence of communication issues. Conclusions Despite the challenges, these students have adopted commendable coping strategies and progressed through the course largely due to their high sense of responsibility towards their family, their focus on the goal of graduating as medical doctors and their support networks. It was concluded that faculty needs to provide both academic and moral support to their international medical students at three major intervention points, namely point of entry, mid way through the course and at the end of the course to enhance their coping skills and academic progression. Finally, appropriate recommendations were made. PMID:21702988

Barriers to the Uptake of Eye Care Services in Developing Countries: A Systematic Review of Interventions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdullah, Khadija Nowaira; Al-Sharqi, Omar Zayan; Abdullah, Muhammad Tanweer

2013-01-01

Objective: This research identifies effective and ineffective interventions for reducing barriers to the uptake of eye care services in developing countries. Design: Systematic literature review. Setting: Only research studies done in developing countries were included. Method: The review is restricted to English-language articles published…

Traditional & Socio-Cultural Barriers to EFL Learning: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahmad, Jameel

2015-01-01

This research tends to ascertain several traditional and socio-cultural barriers to English language learning in Saudi Arabia and to explore more ways than before for making teaching and learning more effective. The findings of four quantitative and qualitative surveys conducted in this regard reveal a unique traditional and socio-cultural milieu,…

Creating an Outcomes-Based Tool for Learning Barrier Assessment in an Outpatient Education Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hernandez, Teri L.; Rupnow, Jana M.; Currie, Kristi A.; Procious, James K.; Adams, Jenny

2003-01-01

An outcomes-based assessment instrument was devised to screen patients for learning problems that would impede patient education in cardiac rehabilitation. Criteria for seven barriers were established: hearing, language, cultural, religious, vision, cognitive, emotional). Points of data collection and a rationale for collection were identified.…

Barriers Experienced by Mexican Immigrants: Implications for Educational Achievement and Mental Health

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Consoli, Melissa L. Morgan; Consoli, Andres J.; Orozco, Graciela Leon; Gonzales, Rufus R.; Vera, Elizabeth M.

2012-01-01

The adversities faced by Latina/o individuals and their families in the U.S. negatively impact educational outcomes as well as their mental and physical health. These adversities are often related to immigration status and acculturation and include difficulties with immigration, language barriers, and discrimination. Given that recent immigrants…

Cultural Perspectives Toward Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Li-Li

2008-01-01

Cultural conflicts may be derived from using inappropriate language. Appropriate linguistic-pragmatic competence may also be produced by providing various and multicultural backgrounds. Culture and language are linked together naturally, unconsciously, and closely in daily social lives. Culture affects language and language affects culture through…

Health Care Providers' Perspectives on Barriers and Facilitators to Cervical Cancer Screening in Vietnamese American Women.

PubMed

Nguyen-Truong, Connie Kim Yen; Hassouneh, Dena; Lee-Lin, Frances; Hsiao, Chiao-Yun; Le, Tuong Vy; Tang, Joannie; Vu, Margret; Truong, Anthony My

2017-12-01

Vietnamese American women (VAW) are diagnosed and die at twice the rate than White non-Hispanic American women (16.8/100,000 vs. 8.1/100,000 and 4.4/100,000 vs. 2.4/100,000, respectively). Despite efforts to increase cervical cancer (CC) screening among VAW, the participation rates are persistently low (69% to 81%). The purpose of this study was to explore health care providers' (HCPs) perspectives on barriers and facilitators to CC screening in VAW. This qualitative descriptive pilot study, used open-ended semistructured interviews with 10 HCPs. The HCPs had two to 23 years treating VAW. Major barriers and facilitators identified by the HCPs were as follows: VAW's decision making about CC screening; sexual health divide; language discordance, relying on interpreters; breaking suspicion; VAW's exposure to health sources of CC screening; sustainable trust; and motivated health care practices. HCPs perceived the reasons for VAW not being screened or delaying CC screening were due to their lack of knowledge, cultural barriers, language, and issues related to trust.

Barriers and facilitators to recruitment of South Asians to health research: a scoping review

PubMed Central

Frimer, Leora; Janssen, Patricia A; Lamers, Yvonne

2017-01-01

Objectives People of South Asian ethnicity are under-represented in health research studies. The objectives of this scoping review were to examine the barriers and facilitators to recruitment of South Asians to health research studies and to describe strategies for improving recruitment. Design Scoping review Methods Using the Arksey and O’Malley framework for scoping reviews, we comprehensively searched electronic databases (MEDLINE via PubMed, Cochrane Library, CINAHL and PsycINFO). Studies that identified barriers and facilitators to recruitment, or recruitment strategies for South Asian populations were included. Recruitment barriers, facilitators and strategies were grouped thematically and summarised narratively. Synthesis Of 1846 potentially relevant articles, 15 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the thematic synthesis. Multiple facilitators and barriers to enrolment of South Asians in health research studies were identified; these most commonly related to logistical challenges, language and cultural barriers, concerns about adverse consequences of participating and mistrust of research. Several actionable strategies were discussed, the most common being engagement of South Asian communities, demonstration of cultural competency, provision of incentives and benefits, language sensitivity through the use of translators and translated materials and the development of trust and personal relationships. Conclusion There is a growing awareness of the barriers and facilitators to recruitment of South Asian participants to health research studies. Knowledge of effective recruitment strategies and implementation during the grant funding stages may reduce the risk of poor recruitment and representation of South Asians. PMID:28576896

Tailored interventions to overcome identified barriers to change: effects on professional practice and health care outcomes

PubMed Central

Baker, Richard; Camosso-Stefinovic, Janette; Gillies, Clare; Shaw, Elizabeth J; Cheater, Francine; Flottorp, Signe; Robertson, Noelle

2014-01-01

Background In the previous version of this review, the effectiveness of interventions tailored to barriers to change was found to be uncertain. Objectives To assess the effectiveness of interventions tailored to address identified barriers to change on professional practice or patient outcomes. Search methods For this update, in addition to the EPOC Register and pending files, we searched the following databases without language restrictions, from inception until August 2007: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, BNI and HMIC. We searched the National Research Register to November 2007. We undertook further searches to October 2009 to identify potentially eligible published or ongoing trials. Selection criteria Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of interventions tailored to address prospectively identified barriers to change that reported objectively measured professional practice or healthcare outcomes in which at least one group received an intervention designed to address prospectively identified barriers to change. Data collection and analysis Two reviewers independently assessed quality and extracted data. We undertook quantitative and qualitative analyses. The quantitative analyses had two elements. We carried out a meta-regression to compare interventions tailored to address identified barriers to change with either no interventions or an intervention(s) not tailored to the barriers.We carried out heterogeneity analyses to investigate sources of differences in the effectiveness of interventions. These included the effects of: risk of bias, concealment of allocation, rigour of barrier analysis, use of theory, complexity of interventions, and the reported presence of administrative constraints. Main results We included 26 studies comparing an intervention tailored to address identified barriers to change to no intervention or an intervention(s) not tailored to the barriers. The effect sizes of these studies varied both across and within studies. Twelve studies provided enough data to be included in the quantitative analysis. A meta-regression model was fitted adjusting for baseline odds by fitting it as a covariate, to obtain the pooled odds ratio of 1.54 (95% CI, 1.16 to 2.01) from Bayesian analysis and 1.52 (95% CI, 1.27 to 1.82, P < 0.001) from classical analysis. The heterogeneity analyses found that no study attributes investigated were significantly associated with effectiveness of the interventions. Authors’ conclusions Interventions tailored to prospectively identified barriers are more likely to improve professional practice than no intervention or dissemination of guidelines. However, the methods used to identify barriers and tailor interventions to address them need further development. Research is required to determine the effectiveness of tailored interventions in comparison with other interventions. PMID:20238340

The Names Have Been Changed to Protect the . . . Humanity: Person-First Language in Correctional Health Epidemiology.

PubMed

Bedell, Precious S; Spaulding, Anne C; So, Marvin; Sarrett, Jennifer C

2018-06-01

After objections surfaced following a call for papers on "Prisoner Health," the editors of Epidemiologic Reviews decided to rename this year's volume "Incarceration and Health." In this commentary, we trace the origins of person-first language and explain why using appropriate terms in correctional health, including correctional health epidemiology, matters. We discuss the potential consequences of person-first language for justice-involved individuals and how inclusive language might affect the social, emotional, and physical well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Future directions may include measuring health outcomes when language is systematically changed. The barriers that thwart successful reentry may wane when dehumanizing language disappears.

A Randomised Controlled Trial to Test the Effect of Promoting Caregiver Contingent Talk on Language Development in Infants from Diverse Socioeconomic Status Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGillion, Michelle; Pine, Julian M.; Herbert, Jane S.; Matthews, Danielle

2017-01-01

Background: Early language skills are critical for later academic success. Lower socioeconomic status (SES) children tend to start school with limited language skills compared to advantaged peers. We test the hypothesis that this is due in part to differences in caregiver contingent talk during infancy (how often the caregiver talks about what is…

Arabic-speaking migrants’ attitudes, opinions, preferences and past experiences concerning the use of interpreters in healthcare: a postal cross-sectional survey

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Good communication is an important prerequisite for equal treatment in a healthcare encounter. One way to overcome language barriers when patients and healthcare staff do not share the same language is to use a professional interpreter. Few previous studies have been found investigating the use of interpreters, and just one previous study from the perspective of European migrants, which showed that they perceived interpreters as a communication aid and a guide in the healthcare system as regards information and practical matters. No previous study has gathered quantitative information to focus on non-European migrants’ attitudes to the use of interpreters in healthcare encounters. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate Arabic-speaking individuals’ attitudes, opinions, preferences and past experiences concerning the use of interpreters in healthcare in order to: (i) understand how persons’ expectations and concerns regarding interpreters may vary, both within and across cultural/linguistic populations; (ii) understand the consequences of diverse opinions/expectations for planning responsive services; and (iii) confirm findings from previous qualitative studies. Method A postal cross-sectional study using a structured self-administered 51-item questionnaire was used to describe and document aspects of Arabic-speaking individuals’ attitudes to the use of interpreters in healthcare. The sample of 53 Arabic-speaking migrants was recruited from three different places. Participants were mostly born in Iraq and had a high level of education and were almost equally divided between genders. Data were analysed with descriptive statistics. Results The main findings were that most of the participants perceived the interpreter’s role as being a communication aid and a practical aid, interpreting literally and objectively. Trust in the professional interpreter was related to qualification as an interpreter and personal contact with face-to-face interaction. The qualities of the desired professional interpreter were: a good knowledge of languages and medical terminology, translation ability, and sharing the same origin, dialect and gender as the patient. Conclusion This study confirmed previous qualitative findings from European migrant groups with a different cultural and linguistic background. The study supports the importance of planning a good interpretation situation in accordance with individuals’ desire, irrespective of the migrant’s linguistic and cultural background, and using interpreters who interpret literally and objectively, who are highly trained with language skills in medical terminology, and with a professional attitude to promote communication, thus increasing cost-effective, high-quality individualized healthcare. PMID:24484628

A Preliminary Research on the Lifestyle of International Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Hsiaowen; Shih, Hongyu; Thiruvadi, Sheela; Song, Yiru

2011-01-01

The focus of this study is to explore the lifestyle of international students and also the difficulties faced by them due to the language barrier (difficulty in learning the Chinese language) in Taiwan. Motivation for this study comes from the increasing number of international students, and the related educational policy settings of the…

Breaking Barriers with Collaborative Language Practices in a Multiethnic Classroom: A Potential Model for Immigrant Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tarim, Seyda Deniz

2018-01-01

Children's spontaneous peer-group interactions were video-recorded and analyzed using techniques of ethnography and talk-in interaction. The examples illustrate how the children socialize novices to language practices and other culturally appropriate practices used in their peer-group communities. The children's translation work is a discursive…

Negotiating Business, Negotiating Self: Crossing Cultural Borders in Bilingual Entrepreneurial Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collier, Shartriya

2011-01-01

Characterized by both cultural and gender-based barriers to English language learning, language learning is a continual process of identity renegotiation, as several theorists have argued. While this identity renegotiation has been explored for women who assume the roles of wives, daughters, and employees, less attention has been directed to the…

Hindrances for Parents in Enhancing Child Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Topping, Keith; Dekhinet, Rayenne; Zeedyk, Suzanne

2011-01-01

This review explores challenges and barriers to parent-child interaction which leads to language development in the first 3 years of the child's life. Seven databases yielded 1,750 hits, reduced to 49 evidence-based studies, many of which still had methodological imperfections. Evidence was quite strong in relation to socio-economic status,…

Demystifying the IEP Process for Diverse Parents of Children with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lo, Lusa

2012-01-01

The complicated individualized education program (IEP) process and annual team meetings can be very stressful for families of children with disabilities, especially for those whose primary language is not English and those who are unfamiliar with the American special education system. Cultural and language barriers and lack of information…

A Balancing Act: School Budgeting and Resource Allocation on a New Dual Language Campus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knight, David S.; Izquierdo, Elena; DeMatthews, David E.

2016-01-01

Dual language instructional models have great potential to create inclusive learning environments for traditional under-served students and boost student outcomes. However, principals face many barriers to implementation. One of the key challenges is aligning resources to ensure that the school has (a) an appropriate number of certificated…

Using Inquiry to Break the Language Barrier

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ricketts, Amy

2011-01-01

The more than five million English language learners (ELLs) in the United States represent over 10% of students enrolled in public schools--and this number is growing rapidly. From 1997 to 2007, growth of ELL enrollment exceeded that of overall enrollment by more than six to one. Regardless of where they teach, science educators will undoubtedly…

Linguistic Moments: Language, Teaching, and Teacher Education in the U.S.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brandon, LaVada; Baszile, Denise Marie Taliaferro; Berry, Theodora Regina

2009-01-01

Many diversity courses that prepare pre-service teachers do not address the significance or the impact of language barriers on linguistically diverse learners. Often time, new and veteran teachers construct their bilingual and/or bidialectical students as others and are unaware of how to use their students' social, cultural, and political…

Quick Response (QR) Codes for Audio Support in Foreign Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vigil, Kathleen Murray

2017-01-01

This study explored the potential benefits and barriers of using quick response (QR) codes as a means by which to provide audio materials to middle-school students learning Spanish as a foreign language. Eleven teachers of Spanish to middle-school students created transmedia materials containing QR codes linking to audio resources. Students…

Using ASR Technology in Language Training for Specific Purposes: A Perspective from Quebec, Canada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Nicholas R.; Trofimovich, Pavel; Cedergren, Henrietta; Gatbonton, Elizabeth

2011-01-01

For many patients throughout the world, access to healthcare depends on the patients" and healthcare providers' ability to communicate efficiently in each other's language. One way to reduce linguistic barriers to healthcare access is to increase the number of linguistically and culturally competent healthcare professionals. Conspicuously…

Language Barriers Impact Access to Services for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

St. Amant, Helaine G.; Schrager, Sheree M.; Peña-Ricardo, Carolina; Williams, Marian E.; Vanderbilt, Douglas L.

2018-01-01

Racial and ethnic disparities in accessing health care have been described in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In a retrospective chart review of 152 children with ASD, children of parents whose primary language was English were significantly more likely to have both social skills and communication goals within their individualized…

Sign Language Web Pages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fels, Deborah I.; Richards, Jan; Hardman, Jim; Lee, Daniel G.

2006-01-01

The World Wide Web has changed the way people interact. It has also become an important equalizer of information access for many social sectors. However, for many people, including some sign language users, Web accessing can be difficult. For some, it not only presents another barrier to overcome but has left them without cultural equality. The…

Second Language Listening and Unfamiliar Proper Names: Comprehension Barrier?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kobeleva, Polina P.

2012-01-01

This study examines whether unfamiliar proper names affect English as a second language (ESL) learners' listening comprehension. A total of 110 intermediate to advanced ESL learners participated; comprehension of a short news text was tested under two conditions, Names Known (all proper names pre-taught in advance) and Names Unknown (all proper…

Parents' and Speech and Language Therapists' Explanatory Models of Language Development, Language Delay and Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Julie; Goldbart, Juliet; Phillips, Julie

2007-01-01

Background: Parental and speech and language therapist (SLT) explanatory models may affect engagement with speech and language therapy, but there has been dearth of research in this area. This study investigated parents' and SLTs' views about language development, delay and intervention in pre-school children with language delay. Aims: The aims…

Access to health care for uninsured Latina immigrants in South Carolina.

PubMed

Luque, John S; Soulen, Grace; Davila, Caroline B; Cartmell, Kathleen

2018-05-02

South Carolina is considered a "new destination" state for Latino immigrants. Language barriers, transportation difficulties, low socioeconomic status, inflexible work schedules, different cultural norms, and anxiety and fear related to the current anti-immigrant political climate all negatively impact Latino immigrants' frequency of contact with the health care system, and consequently they suffer poor health outcomes. The study objective was to explore uninsured Latina immigrant women's access to health care and alternative treatment strategies in coastal South Carolina. The study design was a qualitative interview design. Thirty women participated in semi-structured interviews in community sites. Thematic analysis identified salient categories of topics across interview participants. The themes were organized into four primary categories including: 1) Barriers and Facilitators to Healthcare, 2) Health Behaviors and Coping Mechanisms, 3) Disease Management Strategies, and 4) Cultural Factors. Participants demonstrated determination for accessing care but reported that their primary health care access barriers included the high cost of services, lack of health insurance, family and work responsibilities, and language barriers. Coping mechanisms included activating their social networks, visiting family and friends and assisting one another with navigating life challenges. Participants overcame obstacles to obtain healthcare for themselves and their family members despite the multiple barriers presented. Social networks were leveraged to protect against some of the negative effects of financial barriers to health care access.

[Strengthening of social participation of Turkish seniors].

PubMed

Fietz, Jennifer; Stupp, Barbara

2018-05-04

Traditional municipal services are not successful at reaching Turkish seniors. Compared to native Germans Turkish seniors have a lower social participation. Do native language groups hosted by a German organization promote the social participation of Turkish seniors? How does social participation take place in the ZWAR networks (between work and retirement; a project to strengthen social participation of seniors) and which factors promote or reduce social participation? Qualitative structuring content analysis of two group discussions, which were based on guided interviews. The social participation of Turkish-speaking seniors was strengthened on three levels: (1) through regular meetings of the Turkish ethnic group social relationships were promoted and German language skills and other skills were improved. Through mutual sharing and understanding of the stressors specific to migration, emotional support was provided. The sharing of mutual cultural and linguistic backgrounds created a sense of community and meetings were perceived as an antidote to migrants' exhausting lives in German society. (2) At the organizational level, participation was promoted through extensive group events. Regardless of their cultural background all participants identified as equal ZWAR members. The ZWAR project functioned as an umbrella organization for participation in the intercultural context. (3) Participation in community events created contacts with community stakeholders and fostered volunteer work. Hence, participants were able to use their skills, and therefore broaden their horizons. Turkish ZWAR networks promoted the social participation of members because integration with their ethnic group reduced access barriers, broadened members' scopes of action, and created new opportunities for participation.

Chemistry through the language barrier. How to scan chemical articles in foreign languages with emphasis on Russian and Japanese

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reid, E.E.

1970-01-01

The thesis of this book is that one can learn a surprising amount of information from scientific articles in a foreign language. Use is made of symbols, numbers, etc., (which appear in familiar Roman script) and words that are similar in many languages (e.g., reaction, reazione, reaccion, reactie, reaccao, reaktion, reaksjon, reaktionen, reakcio, rektio, reaktsiya, reakcja, and reakce). Most European languages (Germanic, Latin, et al.) are included, with special emphasis on Russian and Japanese. The technique is illustrated with examples from organic chemistry, but the approach should be applicable to scientific writing in any subject area. (RWR)

Children's Language Ideologies in a First-Grade Dual-Language Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lopez, Minda Morren

2012-01-01

This study explores the language ideologies of young children in a Spanish/English dual language programme in the USA. Recent studies of language ideologies in education have centred primarily on adults or older students, but this study focuses on young children from varied language backgrounds. By analysing discussions centred on children's…

Qualitative Aspects of Developmental Language Impairment Relate to Language and Literacy Outcome in Adulthood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitehouse, Andrew J. O.; Line, E. A.; Watt, Helen J.; Bishop, Dorothy V. M.

2009-01-01

Background: Developmental language disorder is a heterogeneous diagnostic category. Little research has compared the long-term outcomes of children with different subtypes of language impairment. Aims: To determine whether the pattern of language impairment in childhood related to language and literacy outcomes in adulthood. Methods & Procedures:…

Language Profiles of Monolingual and Bilingual Finnish Preschool Children at Risk for Language Impairment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Westman, Martin; Korkman, Marit; Mickos, Annika; Byring, Roger

2008-01-01

Background: A large proportion of children are exposed to more than one language, yet research on simultaneous bilingualism has been relatively sparse. Traditionally, there has been concern that bilingualism may aggravate language difficulties of children with language impairment. However, recent studies have not found specific language impairment…

Primary Care Provider Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Two Self-Management Support Programs for Vulnerable Patients with Diabetes

PubMed Central

Ratanawongsa, Neda; Bhandari, Vijay K; Handley, Margaret; Rundall, Thomas; Hammer, Hali; Schillinger, Dean

2012-01-01

Background Primary care providers (PCPs) in safety net settings face barriers to optimizing care for patients with diabetes. We conducted this study to assess PCPs' perspectives on the effectiveness of two language-concordant diabetes self-management support programs. Methods One year postintervention, we surveyed PCPs whose patients with diabetes participated in a three-arm multiclinic randomized controlled trial comparing usual care (UC), weekly automated telephone self-management (ATSM) support with nurse care management, and monthly group medical visits (GMVs). We compared PCP perspectives on patient activation to create and achieve goals, quality of care, and barriers to care using regression models accounting for within-PCP clustering. Results Of 113 eligible PCPs caring for 330 enrolled patients, 87 PCPs (77%) responded to surveys about 245 (74%) enrolled patients. Intervention patients were more likely to be perceived by PCPs as activated to create and achieve goals for chronic care when compared with UC patients (standardized effect size, ATSM vs UC, +0.41, p = 0.01; GMV vs UC, +0.31, p = 0.05). Primary care providers rated quality of care as higher for patients exposed to ATSM compared to UC (odds ratio 3.6, p < 0.01). Compared with GMV patients, ATSM patients were more likely to be perceived by PCPs as overcoming barriers related to limited English proficiency (82% ATSM vs 44% GMV, p = 0.01) and managing medications (80% ATSM vs 53% GMV, p = 0.01). Conclusions Primary care providers perceived that patients receiving ATSM support had overcome barriers, participated more actively, and received higher quality diabetes care. These views of clinician stakeholders lend additional evidence for the potential to upscale ATSM more broadly to support PCPs in their care of diverse, multilinguistic populations. PMID:22401329

Evidence-Based Practice: a survey regarding behavior, knowledge, skills, resources, opinions and perceived barriers of Brazilian physical therapists from São Paulo state

PubMed Central

Silva, Tatiane M.; Costa, Lucíola C. M.; Costa, Leonardo O. P.

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) has been widely used by health professionals. However, no study in Brazil has investigated the data regarding the knowledge and difficulties related to EBP from a representative sample of physical therapists. OBJECTIVE: To identify behavior, knowledge, skills, resources, opinions and perceived barriers of Brazilian physical therapists from the state of São Paulo regarding EBP. METHOD: A customized questionnaire about behavior, knowledge, skills, resources, opinions and perceived barriers regarding EBP was sent by email to a sample of 490 physical therapists registered by the Registration Board of São Paulo, Brazil. Physical therapists who did not respond to the questionnaire were contacted by telephone and/or letter. The data were analyzed descriptively. RESULTS: The final response rate was 64.4% (316/490). Because 60 physical therapists were no longer practicing, 256 answers were analyzed. The physical therapists reported that they routinely read scientific papers (89.5%) as a resource for professional development, followed by continuing education courses (88.3%) and books (86.3%). Approximately 35% of the respondents reported a clear understanding of the implementation of research findings in their practice; approximately 37% reported no difficulties in critically appraising scientific papers; and 67.2% strongly agreed that EBP is important for their practice. The most commonly reported barriers were related to difficulties in obtaining full-text papers (80.1%), using EBP may represent higher cost (80.1%) and the language of publication of the papers (70.3%). CONCLUSION: Physical therapists from São Paulo state believe that they have knowledge and skills to use EBP. Although they have favorable opinions regarding its implementation, they still encounter difficulties in implementing EBP successfully. PMID:26443977

The role of ritualistic ceremonial in removing barriers between subcultures in the National Health Service.

PubMed

Brooks, Ian; Brown, Reva Berman

2002-05-01

The role of ritualistic ceremonial in removing barriers between subcultures in the National Health Service Background. One of the ways in which it is possible to achieve successful organizational change is through the elimination of those ceremonies that reinforce or preserve the negative aspects of professional and work group autonomy, thus maintaining the barriers between subcultures. Conversely, the encouraging of ceremonies which reinforce positive aspects is likely to achieve more flexible, team-orientated changes. Aim. The paper considers those ceremonies, which perpetuate barriers in a National Health Service (NHS) Trust, and explores new ceremonies which may question, weaken or eliminate current dysfunctional practices. Design. Our research approach was mainly phenomenological, as we wished to elicit the symbolic significance of organizational routines. The primary source of data was spoken language. The findings are based on purposive sampling of informants by means of semi-structured interview and observation. Other types of information were also collected, including business plans, reports and brochures. Informants included the Chief Executive and four Board members, three consultants, the director of nursing and midwifery, 10 middle managers and eight junior, nonmedical and nonmanagerial employees. Findings. Two broad bands of ceremonies have been identified - those which preserve the existing norms and autonomy of professional and worker groups, which we have named Ceremonies of Preservation, and those which encourage change, which we have called Ceremonies of Change. Considerable data are provided to help to 'tell the story'. Conclusion. The paper argues that attention to ceremonial in the wider change process may facilitate the desired, specific change or changes in practice. It suggests that changes which confront unnecessary demarcation, but which do not undermine professional integrity, can create real benefits for NHS hospitals.

Understanding Barriers and Facilitators to Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening among Muslim Women in New York City: Perspectives from Key Informants

PubMed Central

Islam, Nadia; Patel, Shilpa; Brooks-Griffin, Quanza; Kemp, Patrice; Raveis, Victoria; Riley, Lindsey; Gummi, Sindhura; Nur, Potrirankamanis Queano; Ravenell, Joseph; Cole, Helen; Kwon, Simona

2017-01-01

Background Muslims are one of the fastest growing religious groups in the US. However, little is known about their health disparities, and how their unique cultural, religious, and social beliefs and practices affect health behaviors and outcomes. Studies demonstrate Muslim women may have lower rates of breast and cervical cancer screening compared to the overall population. Methods The purpose of this study was to: 1) conduct key-informant interviews with Muslim community leaders in New York City (NYC), to understand contextual factors that impact Muslim women’s beliefs and practices regarding breast and cervical cancer screening; and 2) inform the development and implementation of a research study on breast and cervical cancer screening among Muslims. Twelve key-informant interviews were conducted. The sample included imams, female religious leaders, physicians, community-based organization leaders, and social service representatives. The interview guide assessed: 1) unique healthcare barriers faced by Muslim women; 2) cultural and social considerations in conducting research; 3) potential strategies for increasing screening in this population; and 4) content and venues for culturally tailored programming and messaging. Results Key informants noted structure and culture as barriers and religion as a facilitator to breast and cervical cancer screening. Themes regarding the development of targeted health campaigns to increase screening included the importance of educational and in-language materials and messaging, and engaging mosques and religious leaders for dissemination. Conclusion Although Muslim women face a number of barriers to screening, religious beliefs and support structures can be leveraged to facilitate screening and enhance the dissemination and promotion of screening. PMID:29629435

Culture, language, and patient safety: Making the link.

PubMed

Johnstone, Megan-Jane; Kanitsaki, Olga

2006-10-01

It has been well recognized internationally that hospitals are not as safe as they should be. In order to redress this situation, health care services around the world have turned their attention to strategically implementing robust patient safety and quality care programmes to identify circumstances that put patients at risk of harm and then acting to prevent or control those risks. Despite the progress that has been made in improving hospital safety in recent years, there is emerging evidence that patients of minority cultural and language backgrounds are disproportionately at risk of experiencing preventable adverse events while in hospital compared with mainstream patient groups. One reason for this is that patient safety programmes have tended to underestimate and understate the critical relationship that exists between culture, language, and the safety and quality of care of patients from minority racial, ethno-cultural, and language backgrounds. This article suggests that the failure to recognize the critical link between culture and language (of both the providers and recipients of health care) and patient safety stands as a 'resident pathogen' within the health care system that, if not addressed, unacceptably exposes patients from minority ethno-cultural and language backgrounds to preventable adverse events in hospital contexts. It is further suggested that in order to ensure that minority as well as majority patient interests in receiving safe and quality care are properly protected, the culture-language-patient-safety link needs to be formally recognized and the vulnerabilities of patients from minority cultural and language backgrounds explicitly identified and actively addressed in patient safety systems and processes.

Cultural and language differences in voice quality perception: a preliminary investigation using synthesized signals.

PubMed

Yiu, Edwin M-L; Murdoch, Bruce; Hird, Kathryn; Lau, Polly; Ho, Elaine Mandy

2008-01-01

Perceptual voice evaluation is a common clinical tool. However, to date, there is no consensus yet as to which common quality should be measured. Some available evidence shows that voice quality is a language-specific property which may be different across different languages. The familiarity of a language may affect the perception and reliability in rating voice quality. The present study set out to investigate the effects of listeners' cultural and language backgrounds on the perception of voice qualities. Forty speech pathology students from Australia and Hong Kong were asked to rate the breathy and rough qualities of synthesized voice signals in Cantonese and English. Results showed that the English stimulus sets as a whole were rated less severely than the Cantonese stimuli by both groups of listeners. In addition, the male Cantonese and English breathy stimuli were rated differently by the Australian and Hong Kong listeners. These results provided some evidence to support the claim that cultural and language backgrounds of the listeners would affect the perception for some voice quality types. Thus, the cultural and language backgrounds of judges should be taken into consideration in clinical voice evaluation. 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Building freeways: piloting communication skills in additional languages to health service personnel in Cape Town, South Africa.

PubMed

Claassen, Joel; Jama, Zukile; Manga, Nayna; Lewis, Minnie; Hellenberg, Derek

2017-06-07

This study reflects on the development and teaching of communication skills courses in additional national languages to health care staff within two primary health care facilities in Cape Town, South Africa. These courses were aimed at addressing the language disparities that recent research has identified globally between patients and health care staff. Communication skills courses were offered to staff at two Metropolitan District Health Services clinics to strengthen patient access to health care services. This study reflects on the communicative proficiency in the additional languages that were offered to health care staff. A mixed-method approach was utilised during this case study with quantitative data-gathering through surveys and qualitative analysis of assessment results. The language profiles of the respective communities were assessed through data obtained from the South African National census, while staff language profiles were obtained at the health care centres. Quantitative measuring, by means of a patient survey at the centres, occurred on a randomly chosen day to ascertain the language profile of the patient population. Participating staff performed assessments at different phases of the training courses to determine their skill levels by the end of the course. The performances of the participating staff during the Xhosa and Afrikaans language courses were assessed, and the development of the staff communicative competencies was measured. Health care staff learning the additional languages could develop Basic or Intermediate Xhosa and Afrikaans that enables communication with patients. In multilingual countries such as South Africa, language has been recognised as a health care barrier preventing patients from receiving quality care. Equipping health care staff with communication skills in the additional languages, represents an attempt to bridge a vital barrier in the South African health care system. The study proves that offering communication skills courses in additional languages, begins to equip health care staff to be multilingual, that allows patients to communicate about their illnesses within their mother tongues.

The effects of native language on Indian English sounds and timing patterns

PubMed Central

Sirsa, Hema; Redford, Melissa A.

2013-01-01

This study explored whether the sound structure of Indian English (IE) varies with the divergent native languages of its speakers or whether it is similar regardless of speakers' native languages. Native Hindi (Indo-Aryan) and Telugu (Dravidian) speakers produced comparable phrases in IE and in their native languages. Naïve and experienced IE listeners were then asked to judge whether different sentences had been spoken by speakers with the same or different native language backgrounds. The findings were an interaction between listener experience and speaker background such that only experienced listeners appropriately distinguished IE sentences produced by speakers with different native language backgrounds. Naïve listeners were nonetheless very good at distinguishing between Hindi and Telugu phrases. Acoustic measurements on monophthongal vowels, select obstruent consonants, and suprasegmental temporal patterns all differentiated between Hindi and Telugu, but only 3 of the measures distinguished between IE produced by speakers of the different native languages. The overall results are largely consistent with the idea that IE has a target phonology that is distinct from the phonology of native Indian languages. The subtle L1 effects on IE may reflect either the incomplete acquisition of the target phonology or, more plausibly, the influence of sociolinguistic factors on the use and evolution of IE. PMID:24860200

EFL Teachers' Responses to L2 Writing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Yuh-Fang

This study investigated differences in the product and process of evaluating second language compositions by Taiwanese speakers of English. It examined whether such factors as language background (native English speaker versus native Chinese speaker), academic discipline, and educational background affected raters' scoring outcomes; whether rating…

Teaching Controversial Issues in the JLL Classroom for Chinese Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shimojimai, Yasuko

2017-01-01

This paper discusses how teachers explore teaching controversial issues in the Japanese language classroom to Japanese language learner (JLL) or culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students who have different cultural and political backgrounds. Assuring educational opportunities with consideration of JLLs' background is important…

Cognitive Learning Styles of EFL Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Srichanyachon, Napaporn

2011-01-01

This study aimed to study cognitive learning styles of EFL students, compare language learning styles among students categorized by their background, and investigate the relationship between English background knowledge and language learning styles. The samples were 210 undergraduate students enrolled in Fundamental English course at Bangkok…

Supporting Instructors in Overcoming Self-Efficacy and Background Barriers to Adoption

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reid, Pat

2017-01-01

Most academic technology areas of higher education institutes do not feel faculty technology adoption is adequate (Hartman (EDUCAUSE Rev 43(6), 2008)). Among the barriers to instructional technology adoption are faculty self-efficacy and background. Self-efficacy encompasses the faculty member's belief or confidence in his ability to succeed.…

Speaking Conflict: Ideological Barriers to Bilingual Policy Implementation in Civil War Sri Lanka

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Christina P.

2015-01-01

This article presents a holistic view of ideological barriers to bilingual policy implementation in Sri Lanka, a conflict-ridden postcolonial nation-state. I examine Sinhalese youth and adults' Tamil as a second language (TSL) learning and speaking practices across three contexts: a multilingual school, a program for government servants, and an…

Teaching Communicative Turn Taking Using the IPAD© to Promote Social Interaction for Preschool Children with Complex Communication Needs and Their Peers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Therrien, Michelle Christine Stephen

2016-01-01

Positive interactions with peers impact future success in many domains, including language development and relationship development. Children with complex communication needs (CCN), especially those with characteristics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), confront many barriers to successful interactions with peers. These include personal barriers,…

Instructors' Perceptions and Barriers of Learner-Centered Instruction in English at the University Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tawalbeh, Tha'er Issa; AlAsmari, AbdulRahman Awad

2015-01-01

The present paper aims to examine the instructors' perceptions of learner-centered instruction and possible barriers to implementing this instructional method in teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) at the university level in the Saudi Arabian context. To do this, four questions were posed. The first question investigates instructors'…

Intercultural Communication Barriers and Bridges: Talking with High School Teachers about Multi-Culturalism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gougeon, Thomas D.; Hutton, Susan I.

As part of a larger study of school system communication with second language parents in three Alberta (Canada) urban senior high schools, this study focused on analysis of interview data from teachers responding to questions on intercultural communication barriers and bridges with students and immigrant parents. Data were collected through 30…

Barriers to Acquiring Listening Strategies for EFL Learners and Their Pedagogical Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Yiching

2005-01-01

As theorized in Anderson's (1983, 1995) associative stage of skill acquisition, errors or obstacles become an important index of the learning process. However, learning obstacles have not been widely researched in the field of language learning strategies. This study explores the difficulties or barriers confronted by the EFL (English as a Foreign…

Language Growth in Children with Heterogeneous Language Disorders: A Population Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norbury, Courtenay Frazier; Vamvakas, George; Gooch, Debbie; Baird, Gillian; Charman, Tony; Simonoff, Emily; Pickles, Andrew

2017-01-01

Background: Language development has been characterised by significant individual stability from school entry. However, the extent to which trajectories of language growth vary in children with language disorder as a function of co-occurring developmental challenges is a question of theoretical import, with implications for service provision.…

English Teachers' Language Awareness: Away with the Monolingual Bias?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Otwinowska, Agnieszka

2017-01-01

The training of language teachers still follows traditional models of teachers' competences and awareness, focusing solely on the target language. Such models are incompatible with multilingual pedagogy, whereby languages are not taught in isolation, and learners' background languages are activated to enhance the process. When teaching…

Principles of Course Design for Language Teaching. New Directions in Language Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yalden, Janice

An introduction to contemporary views of second/foreign language course design is intended for even relatively inexperienced teachers wishing to meet the somewhat sophisticated current expectations for language training. First, it provides theoretical background concerning the concepts of communicative competence and second language proficiency,…

EAP and LLNP Students: Common Problems and Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen, Thi Minh Phuong

2010-01-01

As English learners originate from many cultural and language backgrounds, they come to class with different circumstances. This paper examines the backgrounds, common problems and solutions for English for Academic Purposes (EAP) students and Language, Literacy, and Numeracy Programme (LLNP) students. EAP students are from Meridian International…

OPERANT PROCEDURES IN REMEDIAL SPEECH AND LANGUAGE TRAINING.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MACAULAY, BARBARA D., ED.; SLOANE, HOWARD N., JR., ED.

INTENDED FOR SPEECH THERAPISTS, THEACHERS OF THE MENTALLY RETARDED, AND OTHERS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION, THE COLLECTION CONTAINS REPORTS BY VARIOUS AUTHORS ON SPEECH AND LANGUAGE MODIFICATION ATTEMPTS THAT HAVE UTILIZED OPERANT CONDITIONING PROCEDURES, AS WELL AS SEVERAL PAPERS ON BACKGROUND TOPICS. BACKGROUND PAPERS ON TEACHING TREAT ENVIRONMENTAL…

Unsuccessful Study Habits in Foreign Language Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, Phillip D.; Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J.

This study determined which study habits would distinguish successful from unsuccessful foreign language learners. Participants were 219 college students from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds enrolled in either Spanish, French, German, or Japanese classes. The students completed the Study Habits Inventory and the Background Demographic Form.…

Real-Time Language Processing in School-Age Children with Specific Language Impairment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montgomery, James W.

2006-01-01

Background:School-age children with specific language impairment (SLI) exhibit slower real-time (i.e. immediate) language processing relative to same-age peers and younger, language-matched peers. Results of the few studies that have been done seem to indicate that the slower language processing of children with SLI is due to inefficient…

Cross-Language Activation in Children's Speech Production: Evidence from Second Language Learners, Bilinguals, and Trilinguals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poarch, Gregory J.; van Hell, Janet G.

2012-01-01

In five experiments, we examined cross-language activation during speech production in various groups of bilinguals and trilinguals who differed in nonnative language proficiency, language learning background, and age. In Experiments 1, 2, 3, and 5, German 5- to 8-year-old second language learners of English, German-English bilinguals,…

Multimedia Modular Approach for Augmenting the Speaking Skill of the Student-Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jose, G. Rexlin; Raja, B. William Dharma

2012-01-01

Language is the most important instrument for communication. It enables and facilitates both the speaker and the listener to exchange their thoughts and feelings. It is the basis for social, cultural, aesthetic, spiritual and economic development and growth of every human being. Unless the spoken language is free from errors and barriers, it can…

Teachers' Perceptions on Preparedness and Supports to Implement the English Language Arts Common Core State Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fernandez, Maria Clara

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to: (1) describe elementary teachers' perceptions on their preparedness to implement the English Language Arts Common Core State Standards (ELA-CCSS); (2) determine how perceptions influenced changes in instructional practices; and (3) to explore ELA-CCSS implementation challenges and/or barriers in supporting teacher…

Language Development in Down Syndrome: From the Prelinguistic Period to the Acquisition of Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abbeduto, Leonard; Warren, Steven F.; Conners, Frances A.

2007-01-01

Down syndrome (DS) is associated with abnormalities in multiple organ systems and a characteristic phenotype that includes numerous behavioral features. Language, however, is among the most impaired domains of functioning in DS and, perhaps, also the greatest barrier to independent meaningful inclusion in the community. In this article, we review…

Affect and Willingness to Communicate in Digital Game-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reinders, Hayo; Wattana, Sorada

2015-01-01

The possible benefits of digital games for language learning and teaching have received increasing interest in recent years. Games are said, amongst others, to be motivating, to lower affective barriers in learning, and to encourage foreign or second language (L2) interaction. But how do learners actually experience the use of games? What impact…

A Program Evaluation of the Developmental Bilingual Program at an Elementary School in North Carolina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gravely, Wendy B.

2012-01-01

Immigration has resulted in an increase in the number of English Language Learners present in schools across the United States. The language barrier and lack of teacher preparation for handling the learning differences of these students have resulted in low reading achievement levels in elementary schools, further promoting the chances that these…

Breaking Down Barriers: Certificate in Workplace Language, Literacy and Numeracy Training. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holland, Chris, Ed.; Frank, Fiona, Ed.; Caunt, Jaine Chisholm, Ed.

This document is the course book of an accredited 3-day professional development course for qualified basic skills tutors in the United Kingdom who are interested in working in workplace settings. The course materials are organized into 17 sections grouped into 4 units as follows: (1) general concepts of workplace language, literacy, and numeracy…

"Peau d'Ane" videodisque interactif de francais, langue etrangere ("Donkey's Hide," an Interactive Videodisc in French as a Second Language).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garrigues, Mylene

1985-01-01

The characteristics of videodisc technology are outlined, and a project undertaken to create an interactive videodisc for French language instruction is described, including the efforts to eliminate physical barriers between the computer and the user, pedagogical strategy and material, programing technicalities, and other details of production.…

The Laughing EFL Classroom: Potential Benefits and Barriers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stroud, Robert

2013-01-01

The use of humor in EFL across the world has been widely discussed as an effective way to create a more comfortable, productive classroom environment in language learning. However, student-perceived benefits of both teacher and student-produced humor in the more specific context of a Japanese language classroom have not been explored in any great…

Interactive Application in Spanish Sign Language for a Public Transport Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Viera-Santana, José Guillermo; Hernández-Haddad, Juan C.; Rodríguez-Esparragón, Dionisio; Castillo-Ortiz, Jesús

2014-01-01

People with hearing disability find it difficult to access to information and communication in public places. According to this fact, it is considered the possibility to design a communication system based on the Spanish Sign Language (SSL), which helps to overcome this barrier in public environments of wide concurrence, where much of the…

Overcoming Language and Literacy Barriers: Using Student Response System Technology to Collect Quality Program Evaluation Data from Immigrant Participants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Susan K.; Mao, Dung

2016-01-01

Student response system technology was employed for parenting education program evaluation data collection with Karen adults. The technology, with translation and use of an interpreter, provided an efficient and secure method that respected oral language and collective learning preferences and accommodated literacy needs. The method was popular…

Prolonged Sitting Time: Barriers, Facilitators and Views on Change among Primary Healthcare Patients Who Are Overweight or Moderately Obese

PubMed Central

Martínez-Ramos, Elena; Martín-Borràs, Carme; Trujillo, José-Manuel; Giné-Garriga, Maria; Martín-Cantera, Carlos; Solà-Gonfaus, Mercè; Castillo-Ramos, Eva; Pujol-Ribera, Enriqueta; Rodríguez, Dolors; Puigdomenech, Elisa; Beltran, Angela-Maria; Serra-Paya, Noemi; Gascón-Catalán, Ana; Puig-Ribera, Anna

2015-01-01

Background and Objectives Prolonged sitting time has negative consequences on health, although the population is not well aware of these harmful effects. We explored opinions expressed by primary care patients diagnosed as overweight or moderately obese concerning their time spent sitting, willingness to change, and barriers, facilitators, goals and expectations related to limiting this behaviour. Methods A descriptive-interpretive qualitative study was carried out at three healthcare centres in Barcelona, Spain, and included 23 patients with overweight or moderate obesity, aged 25 to 65 years, who reported sitting for at least 6 hours a day. Exclusion criteria were inability to sit down or stand up from a chair without help and language barriers that precluded interview participation. Ten in-depth, semi-structured interviews (5 group, 5 individual) were audio recorded from January to July 2012 and transcribed. The interview script included questions about time spent sitting, willingness to change, barriers and facilitators, and the prospect of assistance from primary healthcare professionals. An analysis of thematic content was made using ATLAS.Ti and triangulation of analysts. Results The most frequent sedentary activities were computer use, watching television, and motorized journeys. There was a lack of awareness of the amount of time spent sitting and its negative consequences on health. Barriers to reducing sedentary time included work and family routines, lack of time and willpower, age and sociocultural limitations. Facilitators identified were sociocultural change, free time and active work, and family surroundings. Participants recognized the abilities of health professionals to provide help and advice, and reported a preference for patient-centred or group interventions. Conclusions Findings from this study have implications for reducing sedentary behaviour. Patient insights were used to design an intervention to reduce sitting time within the frame of the SEDESTACTIV clinical trial. PMID:26057237

Nurse practitioner perceptions of barriers and facilitators in providing health care for deaf American Sign Language users: A qualitative socio-ecological approach.

PubMed

Pendergrass, Kathy M; Nemeth, Lynne; Newman, Susan D; Jenkins, Carolyn M; Jones, Elaine G

2017-06-01

Nurse practitioners (NPs), as well as all healthcare clinicians, have a legal and ethical responsibility to provide health care for deaf American Sign Language (ASL) users equal to that of other patients, including effective communication, autonomy, and confidentiality. However, very little is known about the feasibility to provide equitable health care. The purpose of this study was to examine NP perceptions of barriers and facilitators in providing health care for deaf ASL users. Semistructured interviews in a qualitative design using a socio-ecological model (SEM). Barriers were identified at all levels of the SEM. NPs preferred interpreters to facilitate the visit, but were unaware of their role in assuring effective communication is achieved. A professional sign language interpreter was considered a last resort when all other means of communication failed. Gesturing, note-writing, lip-reading, and use of a familial interpreter were all considered facilitators. Interventions are needed at all levels of the SEM. Resources are needed to provide awareness of deaf communication issues and legal requirements for caring for deaf signers for practicing and student NPs. Protocols need to be developed and present in all healthcare facilities for hiring interpreters as well as quick access to contact information for these interpreters. ©2017 American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

Young men's views toward the barriers and facilitators of Internet-based Chlamydia trachomatis screening: qualitative study.

PubMed

Lorimer, Karen; McDaid, Lisa

2013-12-03

There is a growing number of Internet-based approaches that offer young people screening for sexually transmitted infections. This paper explores young men's views towards the barriers and facilitators of implementing an Internet-based screening approach. The study sought to consider ways in which the proposed intervention would reach and engage men across ages and socioeconomic backgrounds. This qualitative study included 15 focus groups with 60 heterosexual young men (aged 16-24 years) across central Scotland, drawn across age and socioeconomic backgrounds. Focus groups began by obtaining postcode data to allocate participants to a high/low deprivation category. Focus group discussions involved exploration of men's knowledge of chlamydia, use of technology, and views toward Internet-based screening. Men were shown sample screening invitation letters, test kits, and existing screening websites to facilitate discussions. Transcripts from audio recordings were analyzed with "Framework Analysis". Men's Internet and technology use was heterogeneous in terms of individual practices, with greater use among older men (aged 20-24 years) than teenagers and some deprivation-related differences in use. We detail three themes related to barriers to successful implementation: acceptability, confidentiality and privacy concerns, and language, style, and content. These themes identify ways Internet-based screening approaches may fail to engage some men, such as by raising anxiety and failing to convey confidentiality. Men wanted screening websites to frame screening as a serious issue, rather than using humorous images and text. Participants were encouraged to reach a consensus within their groups on their broad design and style preferences for a screening website; this led to a set of common preferences that they believed were likely to engage men across age and deprivation groups and lead to greater screening uptake. The Internet provides opportunities for re-evaluating how we deliver sexual health promotion and engage young men in screening. Interventions using such technology should focus on uptake by age and socioeconomic background. Young people should be engaged as coproducers of intervention materials and websites to ensure messages and content are framed appropriately within a fast-changing environment. Doing so may go some way to addressing the overall lower levels of testing and screening among men compared with women.

Transcending the language barrier--creation of a multilingual dermatology website.

PubMed

Ali, Saba M; Hinckley, Michael R; Feldman, Steven R

2007-05-01

In a linguistically diverse society, healthcare professionals must overcome the daunting task of effectively communicating with patients who speak a different language. In effort to aid healthcare professionals and their patients, an on-line dermatology patient education resource was created with links to various skin related topics in over 30 languages. The development of the on-line resource, key features of the information available on the website, and limitations experienced during its creation are discussed in the article.

Perceptions of problem-based learning (PBL) group effectiveness in a socially-culturally diverse medical student population.

PubMed

Singaram, V S; Dolmans, D H J M; Lachman, N; van der Vleuten, C P M

2008-07-01

A key aspect of the success of a PBL curriculum is the effective implementation of its small group tutorials. Diversity among students participating in tutorials may affect the effectiveness of the tutorials and may require different implementation strategies. To determine how students from diverse backgrounds perceive the effectiveness of the processes and content of the PBL tutorials. This study also aims to explore the relationship between students' perceptions of their PBL tutorials and their gender, age, language, prior educational training, and secondary schooling. Data were survey results from 244 first-year student-respondents at the Nelson Mandela School of Medicine at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to verify scale constructs in the questionnaire. Relationships between independent and dependent variables were investigated in an analysis of variance. The average scores for the items measured varied between 3.3 and 3.8 (scale value 1 indicated negative regard and 5 indicated positive regard). Among process measures, approximately two-thirds of students felt that learning in a group was neither frustrating nor stressful and that they enjoyed learning how to work with students from different social and cultural backgrounds. Among content measures, 80% of the students felt that they learned to work successfully with students from different social and cultural groups and 77% felt that they benefited from the input of other group members. Mean ratings on these measures did not vary with students' gender, age, first language, prior educational training, and the types of schools they had previously attended. Medical students of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, regardless of their backgrounds, generally have positive perceptions of small group learning. These findings support previous studies in highlighting the role that small group tutorials can play in overcoming cultural barriers and promoting unity and collaborative learning within diverse student groups.

Persistence in Japanese Language Study and Learners' Cultural/Linguistic Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matsumoto, Masanori

2009-01-01

Motivational characteristics of students learning Japanese as a foreign language at universities in Australia were investigated to find out what affecting factors are closely related to their intentions for continuing/discontinuing their study. The results showed that students' cultural/linguistic backgrounds have a significant impact on their…

Predictors of Mental State Understanding in Preschoolers of Varying Socioeconomic Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garner, Pamela W.; Curenton, Stephanie M.; Taylor, Kelli

2005-01-01

Two studies investigated the influence of age, language, and family background on the development of preschoolers' social cognitive skills. Study 1 examined variability in economically disadvantaged preschoolers' understanding of fantasy and evaluated the relation of age and language to children's skill in this area. Children were shown drawings…

Preparing Limited English Proficient Persons for the Workplace. ERIC Digest No. 215.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wonacott, Michael E.

This digest describes cultural considerations and effective approaches for limited English proficient (LEP) individuals' workforce development, including the impact of recent training legislation. LEP persons often come from both a different language background and a very different cultural background; so English-language instruction must provide…

Barriers and facilitators to recruitment of South Asians to health research: a scoping review.

PubMed

Quay, Teo Aw; Frimer, Leora; Janssen, Patricia A; Lamers, Yvonne

2017-06-01

People of South Asian ethnicity are under-represented in health research studies. The objectives of this scoping review were to examine the barriers and facilitators to recruitment of South Asians to health research studies and to describe strategies for improving recruitment. Scoping review METHODS: Using the Arksey and O'Malley framework for scoping reviews, we comprehensively searched electronic databases (MEDLINE via PubMed, Cochrane Library, CINAHL and PsycINFO). Studies that identified barriers and facilitators to recruitment, or recruitment strategies for South Asian populations were included. Recruitment barriers, facilitators and strategies were grouped thematically and summarised narratively. Of 1846 potentially relevant articles, 15 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the thematic synthesis. Multiple facilitators and barriers to enrolment of South Asians in health research studies were identified; these most commonly related to logistical challenges, language and cultural barriers, concerns about adverse consequences of participating and mistrust of research. Several actionable strategies were discussed, the most common being engagement of South Asian communities, demonstration of cultural competency, provision of incentives and benefits, language sensitivity through the use of translators and translated materials and the development of trust and personal relationships. There is a growing awareness of the barriers and facilitators to recruitment of South Asian participants to health research studies. Knowledge of effective recruitment strategies and implementation during the grant funding stages may reduce the risk of poor recruitment and representation of South Asians. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Vaikoloa: Understanding depression in Tokelauan people in New Zealand.

PubMed

Loan, Iain; Cunningham, Wayne; Jaye, Chrystal

2016-03-01

BACKGROUND The Tokelauan language lacks a word for 'depression' and this can make diagnosing and treating depression in Tokelauan patients difficult for general practitioners. AIMS To describe the experience of depression in Tokelauans and thereby assist diagnosis and treatment of the illness. METHOD Ten semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted. The transcripts were thematically analysed using an immersion crystallisation technique. RESULTS An illness involving profound sadness exists in the Tokelauan culture. Tokelauans recognise isolation and withdrawal from family and community activities as indicators of extreme sadness. Privacy and pride are important cultural characteristics, which may be barriers to recognising sadness. Often the smiling Tokelauan face becomes the mask hiding sadness. CONCLUSION This research demonstrates the complexity of relationships between patients, their illness and their culture, that impacts on how depression manifests. This research indicates that therapy must have a whole person approach involving family, church, community and patients' spiritual beliefs. KEYWORDS Depression; Pacific health.

Autistic Symptomatology and Language Ability in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Specific Language Impairment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loucas, Tom; Charman, Tony; Pickles, Andrew; Simonoff, Emily; Chandler, Susie; Meldrum, David; Baird, Gillian

2008-01-01

Background: Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and specific language impairment (SLI) are common developmental disorders characterised by deficits in language and communication. The nature of the relationship between them continues to be a matter of debate. This study investigates whether the co-occurrence of ASD and language impairment is associated…

Loss of Language in Early Development of Autism and Specific Language Impairment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pickles, Andrew; Simonoff, Emily; Conti-Ramsden, Gina; Falcaro, Milena; Simkin, Zoe; Charman, Tony; Chandler, Susie; Loucas, Tom; Baird, Gillian

2009-01-01

Background: Several authors have highlighted areas of overlap in symptoms and impairment among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and children with specific language impairment (SLI). By contrast, loss of language and broadly defined regression have been reported as relatively specific to autism. We compare the incidence of language loss…

Negotiation of Meaning and Language-Related Episodes in Synchronous, Audio-Based Chinese-German eTandem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Renner, Julia

2017-01-01

The present paper examines negotiation of meaning and language-related episodes in Chinese-German eTandem interaction, focusing on Chinese as target language. Against the background of the interactionist approach to language learning and drawing upon Swain and Lapkin's (1998, Interaction and second language learning: Two adolescent French…

Cognitive Predictors of Language Development in Children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Daal, John; Verhoeven, Ludo; van Balkom, Hans

2009-01-01

Background: Language development is generally viewed as a multifactorial process. There are increasing indications that this similarly holds for the problematic language development process. Aims: A population of 97 young Dutch children with specific language impairment (SLI) was followed over a 2-year period to provide additional evidence for the…

Early Language Impairments and Developmental Pathways of Emotional Problems across Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goh Kok Yew, Shaun; O'Kearney, Richard

2015-01-01

Background: Language impairments are associated with an increased likelihood of emotional difficulties later in childhood or adolescence, but little is known about the impact of LI on the growth of emotional problems. Aims: To examine the link between early language status (language impaired (LI), typical language (TL)) and the pattern and…

Language and Literacy: The Case of India.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sridhar, Kamal K.

Language and literacy issues in India are reviewed in terms of background, steps taken to combat illiteracy, and some problems associated with literacy. The following facts are noted: India has 106 languages spoken by more than 685 million people, there are several minor script systems, a major language has different dialects, a language may use…

Language and Faith Encounters: Bridging Language--Ethnicity and Language--Religion Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Souza, Ana

2016-01-01

There has been growing interest by British policy-makers in the importance of acknowledging the role of migrant children's background in their educational progress. Therefore, this article draws on studies of language-ethnicity and of language-religion to understand the linguistic and the religious heritage of four groups of Brazilian migrants in…

Talk Like a Scientist! Simple "Frames" to Scaffold the Language of Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoffman, Lisa

2013-01-01

This article shares a teaching strategy for science teachers to use when supporting language development among English language learners. Students from other language backgrounds who are learning English need to learn both grade-level academic content and the language necessary to express scientific concepts. However, most science teachers are not…

Cognitive Approach to Assessing Pragmatic Language Comprehension in Children with Specific Language Impairment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryder, Nuala; Leinonen, Eeva; Schulz, Joerg

2008-01-01

Background: Pragmatic language impairment in children with specific language impairment has proved difficult to assess, and the nature of their abilities to comprehend pragmatic meaning has not been fully investigated. Aims: To develop both a cognitive approach to pragmatic language assessment based on Relevance Theory and an assessment tool for…

Barriers to diabetes awareness and self-help are influenced by people's demographics: perspectives of South Asians with type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Pardhan, Shahina; Nakafero, Georgina; Raman, Rajiv; Sapkota, Raju

2018-03-26

To determine whether barriers to diabetes awareness and self-help differ in South Asian participants of different demographic characteristics (age, gender, and literacy) with type 2 diabetes living in the United Kingdom. Six focus group discussions (FGDs) were carried out in patients who were categorized according to age (30-60 years, ≥60 years), gender (male, female) and literacy status (literate, illiterate). Data were analysed following the iterative process of thematic analysis techniques. Barriers were demographic-specific. The illiterate groups reported language as the major barrier to improved diabetes awareness and self-help. The literate groups reported that information provided by healthcare providers was general, and not specific to their diet/culture. Major barriers to adherence to the recommended diet for diabetes included: insufficient knowledge/awareness about nutritional content of food (all groups); lack of self-will to resist eating sweets, especially during weddings/festivals (literate older groups/literate younger females/illiterate older males); difficulty cooking separate meals for diabetic and non-diabetic family members (illiterate/literate older females). Other barriers to seeking advice/help ranged from not wanting to disclose their diabetes as it may affect employment/work (literate groups) to fear of being singled out at social gatherings (illiterate groups). General lack of motivation to exercise was reported by all groups. Time constraints and not knowing what/how to exercise was reported by literate younger groups whilst the illiterate older groups reported to not having suitable exercising facilities at local communities. Different barriers were also reported when accessing healthcare; language barriers (illiterate groups), restricted access to doctors' appointments/difficulty attending specific appointment slots offered by General Practitioners (literate females). Different barriers exist to improved awareness about diabetes and self-help in different patient demographics. Lack of culturally appropriate diabetes educational/awareness programs in the community appeared to be a major barrier in most older and illiterate participants while younger participants reported time constraint.

Integrating Language-and-Culture Teaching: An Investigation of Spanish Teachers' Perceptions of the Objectives of Foreign Language Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castro, Paloma; Sercu, Lies; Mendez Garcia, Maria del Carmen

2004-01-01

A recent shift has been noticeable in foreign language education theory. Previously, foreign languages were taught as a linguistic code. This then shifted to teaching that code against the sociocultural background of, primarily, one country in which the foreign language is spoken as a national language. More recently, teaching has reflected on…

Investigating the Relationship between Test-Taker Background Characteristics and Test Performance in a Heterogeneous English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) Test Population: A Factor Analytic Approach. Research Report. ETS RR-15-25

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manna, Venessa F.; Yoo, Hanwook

2015-01-01

This study examined the heterogeneity in the English-as-a-second-language (ESL) test population by modeling the relationship between test-taker background characteristics and test performance as measured by the "TOEFL iBT"® using a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with covariate approach. The background characteristics studied…

A systematic review of explanatory factors of barriers and facilitators to improving asthma management in South Asian children

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background South Asian children with asthma are less likely to receive prescriptions and more likely to suffer uncontrolled symptoms and acute asthma admissions compared with White British children. Understanding barriers are therefore vital in addressing health inequalities. We undertook a systematic review identifying explanatory factors for barriers and facilitators to asthma management in South Asian children. South Asians were defined as individuals of Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi descent. Methods Data Sources - Medline, HMIC, EMBASE, ASSIA, Web of Science, BNI, CINAHL, PsycINFO, OpenSIGLE, CRD, Scopus, NHS Evidence, Cochrane Library, Campbell Collaboration, RCPCH, ATS, ERS, Asthma UK, Google Scholar & Asthma Guidelines (BTS, GINA, ATS, Monash, NAEPP, Singapore & New Zealand) to August 2013. Inclusion Criteria – Qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods research with primary focus on identifying explanations for barriers and/or facilitators to asthma management in South Asian children aged 0–18 years with diagnosed/suspected asthma and/or carers and/or healthcare professionals. Data Extraction – Three authors independently reviewed, selected & extracted eligible articles with disagreements resolved by research team discussion. Results 15 studies encompassing 25,755 children, 18,483 parents/carers and 239 healthcare professionals were included. Barriers and explanatory factors identified were: 1. Lack of asthma knowledge in families and healthcare professionals. 2. Under-use of preventer medications. 3. Non-acceptance/denial of asthma. 4. Over-reliance on Emergency Department management. 5. Communication problems. 6. Non-adherence to medication. 7. Use of complementary therapies. Little facilitators regarding asthma management were identified. Conclusions Several key issues were identified as likely to be ethnic-specific to South Asian families, rather than a reflection of minority status: impact of parental and professional knowledge and beliefs, health service utilisation pattern explanations and the impact of prejudice and stigmatisation. Other explanations such as language barriers are not strictly ethnic specific but instead reflect a minority position. Further research is required to identify why barriers exist, the mechanisms by which they impact on asthma management and how they can be overcome. Furthermore, understanding the difference between barriers and explanations that are ethnic-specific and those that are related to being a minority will enable the application of generic system-wide interventions where ethnicity is not the issue and ethnically-tailored interventions where needed. PMID:24767303

Higher Order Language Competence and Adolescent Mental Health

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, Nancy J.; Farnia, Fataneh; Im-Bolter, Nancie

2013-01-01

Background: Clinic and community-based epidemiological studies have shown an association between child psychopathology and language impairment. The demands on language for social and academic adjustment shift dramatically during adolescence and the ability to understand the nonliteral meaning in language represented by higher order language…

Issues in healthcare services in Malaysia as experienced by Japanese retirees.

PubMed

Kohno, Ayako; Musa, Ghazali; Nik Farid, Nik Daliana; Abdul Aziz, Norlaili; Nakayama, Takeo; Dahlui, Maznah

2016-05-05

Worldwide, international retirement migration is growing in its popularity and Japanese retirees choose Malaysia as their most preferred destination. This study examines the pertinent issues related to healthcare services as experienced by Japanese retirees in this country. From January to March 2015, we conducted focus group discussions with 30 Japanese retirees who live in Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh. Guided by the social-ecological model, we discovered seven pertinent themes: 'language barriers','healthcare decisions', 'medical check-ups','healthcare insurance', 'nursing and palliative care', 'trust and distrust of healthcare services', and 'word-of-mouth information'. We identified seven pertinent issues related to healthcare services among Japanese retirees in Malaysia, of which four are especially important. These issues are explained as integrated themes within the social-ecological model. Language barriers prohibit them from having difficulty accessing to healthcare in Malaysia, but lack of will to improve their language skills exist among them. For that reason, they rely heavily on word-of-mouth information when seeking for healthcare. As a consequence, some develop feelings of trust and distrust of healthcare services. In addition, we have identified the needs for provide nursing and palliative care among Japanese retirees in Malaysia. Based on the magnitude of the discussion, we concluded that there are four crucial healthcare issues among Japanese retirees; 'language barriers', 'trust and distrust of healthcare services', 'word-of-mouth information' and 'nursing and palliative care'. We propose that further dialogue by healthcare stakeholders should be carried out to improve further the healthcare service provisions for Japanese retirees in Malaysia.

Are South African Speech-Language Therapists adequately equipped to assess English Additional Language (EAL) speakers who are from an indigenous linguistic and cultural background? A profile and exploration of the current situation

PubMed Central

Mdlalo, Thandeka; Flack, Penelope

2016-01-01

This article presents the results of a survey conducted on Speech-Language Therapists (SLTs) regarding current practices in the assessment of English Additional Language (EAL) speakers in South Africa. It forms part of the rationale for a broader (PhD) study that critiques the use of assessment instruments on EAL speakers from an indigenous linguistic and cultural background. This article discusses an aspect of the broader research and presents the background, method, findings, discussion and implications of the survey. The results of this survey highlight the challenges of human and material resources to, and the dominance of English in, the profession in South Africa. The findings contribute to understanding critical factors for acquiring reliable and valid assessment results with diverse populations, particularly the implications from a cultural and linguistic perspective. PMID:27247254

Characteristics of Successful and Unsuccessful Mental Health Referrals of Refugees

PubMed Central

Shannon, Patricia J.; Vinson, Gregory A.; Cook, Tonya; Lennon, Evelyn

2018-01-01

In this community based participatory research study, we explored key characteristics of mental health referrals of refugees using stories of providers collected through an on-line survey. Ten coders sorted 60 stories of successful referrals and 34 stories of unsuccessful referrals into domains using the critical incident technique. Principal Components Analysis yielded categories of successful referrals that included: active care coordination, proactive resolution of barriers, establishment of trust, and culturally responsive care. Unsuccessful referrals were characterized by cultural barriers, lack of care coordination, language barriers, system barriers, providers being unwilling to see refugees. Recommendations for training and policy are discussed. PMID:25735618

Accessing maternal and child health services in Melbourne, Australia: Reflections from refugee families and service providers

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Often new arrivals from refugee backgrounds have experienced poor health and limited access to healthcare services. The maternal and child health (MCH) service in Victoria, Australia, is a joint local and state government operated, cost-free service available to all mothers of children aged 0–6 years. Although well-child healthcare visits are useful in identifying health issues early, there has been limited investigation in the use of these services for families from refugee backgrounds. This study aims to explore experiences of using MCH services, from the perspective of families from refugee backgrounds and service providers. Methods We used a qualitative study design informed by the socioecological model of health and a cultural competence approach. Two geographical areas of Melbourne were selected to invite participants. Seven focus groups were conducted with 87 mothers from Karen, Iraqi, Assyrian Chaldean, Lebanese, South Sudanese and Bhutanese backgrounds, who had lived an average of 4.7 years in Australia (range one month-18 years). Participants had a total of 249 children, of these 150 were born in Australia. Four focus groups and five interviews were conducted with MCH nurses, other healthcare providers and bicultural workers. Results Four themes were identified: facilitating access to MCH services; promoting continued engagement with the MCH service; language challenges; and what is working well and could be done better. Several processes were identified that facilitated initial access to the MCH service but there were implications for continued use of the service. The MCH service was not formally notified of new parents arriving with young children. Pre-arranged group appointments by MCH nurses for parents who attended playgroups worked well to increase ongoing service engagement. Barriers for parents in using MCH services included access to transportation, lack of confidence in speaking English and making phone bookings. Service users and providers reported that continuity of nurse and interpreter is preferred for increasing client-provider trust and ongoing engagement. Conclusions Although participants who had children born in Melbourne had good initial access to, and experience of, using MCH services, significant barriers remain. A systems-oriented, culturally competent approach to service provision would improve the service utilisation experience for parents and providers, including formalising links and notifications between settlement services and MCH services. PMID:22587587

Formulaic Language as a Barrier to Effective Communication with People with Alzheimer's Disease

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wray, Alison

2011-01-01

Carers recognize that the linguistic problems associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) can be detrimental to effective communication, but they are often not sure what they can do to help. This article examines the use of formulaic language in AD, including routines, repetitions, and fillers, through the lens of a model of how cognitive and social…

Solving the Puzzle: Dual Language Learners with Challenging Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nemeth, Karen; Brillante, Pamela

2011-01-01

It can be difficult for any teacher to support a child whose behavior is disruptive, but a language barrier can certainly complicate the situation. Children who are new to English may not be able to tell teachers what's going on. This makes it even more important for teachers to learn specific strategies to interpret the child's actions and plan…

Challenges Experienced by History Learners during Assessment Using the Medium of English

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rapetsoa, J. M.; Singh, R. J.

2012-01-01

This study investigated the challenges that history learners in rural black schools are faced with during assessments when using English as the language of learning and teaching. The aim of the study was to investigate whether English, which is used as a language of learning and teaching in schools, is a barrier to the learning and teaching of…

Functional Foreign Language Literacy for Higher Education and Research: The Case of French in Nigerian Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uhuegbu, Alozie R.; Edung, Mike T. U.

2015-01-01

African nations have always considered the knowledge of each other's official language, principally English and French, as a means for their scientists to exchange their research work and findings with their counterparts across the linguistic barriers on the continent and in the world, and thereby hasten the pace of national development. Nigerian…

Overcoming the Language Barrier. Third European Congress on Information Systems and Networks, Vol. 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Commission des Communautes Europeennes (Luxembourg).

The papers presented here have a double objective: to give those responsible for the Action plan for the improvement of information transfer between European languages a good view of existing and developing systems and to make future users of EURONET acquainted with methods and tools that will soon be available. The papers are arranged under six…

Language Services In Hospitals Vary By Ownership And Location.

PubMed

Schiaffino, Melody K; Nara, Atsushi; Mao, Liang

2016-08-01

Twenty-four million people in the United States have limited English proficiency. They experience barriers to health care because of their inability to communicate effectively with providers. Hospitals are required to provide language services that reflect the needs of people in their communities, but these services are not available systematically. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Diversity Considerations for Promoting Early Childhood Oral Health: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Prowse, Sarah; Schroth, Robert J.; Wilson, Alexandria; Edwards, Jeanette M.; Sarson, Janet; Levi, Jeremy A.; Moffatt, Michael E.

2014-01-01

Objectives. Several groups in Manitoba, Canada, experience early childhood caries (ECC), including Aboriginal, immigrant, and refugee children and those from select rural regions. The purpose of this pilot study was to explore the views of parents and caregivers from four cultural groups on early childhood oral health and ECC. Methods. A qualitative descriptive study design using focus groups recruited parents and caregivers from four cultural groups. Discussions were documented, audio-recorded, transcribed, and then analyzed for content based on themes. Results. Parents and caregivers identified several potential barriers to good oral health practice, including child's temperament, finances, and inability to control sugar intake. Both religion and genetics were found to influence perceptions of oral health. Misconceptions regarding breastfeeding and bottle use were present. One-on-one discussions, parental networks, and using laypeople from similar backgrounds were suggested methods to promote oral health. The immigrant and refugee participants placed emphasis on the use of visuals for those with language barriers while Hutterite participants suggested a health-education approach. Conclusions. These pilot study findings provide initial insight into the oral health-related knowledge and beliefs of these groups. This will help to inform planning of ECC prevention and research strategies, which can be tailored to specific populations. PMID:24624141

Survey of cognitive rehabilitation practices in the state of Kuwait.

PubMed

Manee, Fahad S; Nadar, Mohammed Sh; Jassem, Zainab; Chavan, Shashidhar Rao

2017-03-01

Background Rehabilitation professionals must be astute at recognizing, assessing, and treating individuals with cognitive deficits. No research is available to examine cognitive rehabilitation practices applied to individuals with neurological conditions in Kuwait. To identify the use of cognitive assessments, the availability of resources, and the barriers to cognitive rehabilitation practices in Kuwait. Methods Face-to-face interviews were conducted with health care professionals working with adult individuals with neurological conditions. These professionals included occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, psychiatrists, and neurologists. Results The most commonly used cognitive based assessments are MMSE (41%), and MoCA and LOTCA (15.2%). The only clinical assessment used is the Line-Bisection Test (2.2%). The most used occupation-based assessments are FIM (6.5%), COPM (4.3%), the Interest Checklist (2.2%), and the Barthel Index (2.2%). Resources related to cognitive rehabilitation in Kuwait that are unavailable to practitioners include journal clubs (91%), special interest groups (89%), and continuing education programmes (82.6%). Barriers to cognitive rehabilitation practice included lack of sufficient funds for continuing education, lack of time, lack of standardized assessments, and lack of inter-professional teamwork. Conclusion Many adults in Kuwait live with cognitive impairment. There is a need to develop appropriate evidence-based cognitive rehabilitation clinical guidelines in Kuwait.

Speech-Language Pathologists' Preparation, Practices, and Perspectives on Serving Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guiberson, Mark; Atkins, Jenny

2012-01-01

This study describes the backgrounds, diversity training, and professional perspectives reported by 154 Colorado speech-language pathologists in serving children from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds. The authors compare the results of the current survey to those of a similar survey collected in 1996. Respondents reported…

Language as Cultural Practice: Mexicanos en el Norte.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schecter, Sandra R.; Bayley, Robert

This book offers an ethnographic account of language socialization practices within Mexican-background families residing in California and Texas. It illustrates cases where language is used by speakers to choose between alternative self-definitions and where language interacts differentially with other defining categories (ethnicity, gender, and…

Language Policy in Slovenia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Novak-Lukanovic, Sonja; Limon, David

2012-01-01

The historical background, political changes, migration processes, EU membership and the current socio-linguistic situation have all influenced language policy and language planning in Slovenia. This article presents the most important aspects of language policy in Slovenia with a focus on the concept of linguistic diversity. The ethnic make-up of…

Barriers to access to opioid medicines for patients with opioid dependence: a review of legislation and regulations in eleven central and eastern European countries.

PubMed

Vranken, Marjolein J M; Mantel-Teeuwisse, Aukje K; Jünger, Saskia; Radbruch, Lukas; Scholten, Willem; Lisman, John A; Subataite, Marija; Schutjens, Marie-Hélène D B

2017-06-01

Barriers linked to drug control systems are considered to contribute to inequitable access to controlled medicines, leaving millions of people in pain and suffering. Most studies focus on access to opioids for the treatment of severe (cancer) pain. This study aims to identify specific access barriers for patients with opioid dependence in legislation and regulations of 11 central and eastern European countries. This study builds on a previous analysis of legislation and regulations as part of the EU 7th Framework Access To Opioid Medication in Europe (ATOME) project. An in-depth analysis was undertaken to determine specific barriers for patients with opioid dependence in need of opioid analgesics or opioid agonist therapy (OAT). For each country, the number and nature of specific potential barriers for these patients were assessed according to eight categories: prescribing; dispensing; manufacturing; usage; trade and distribution; affordability; penalties; and other. An additional keyword search was conducted to minimize the omission of barriers. Barriers in an additional category, language, were recorded qualitatively. Countries included Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Turkey. Ten of the 11 countries (all except Estonia) showed specific potential barriers in their legislation and regulations. The total number of barriers varied from two (Slovenia) to 46 (Lithuania); the number of categories varied from one (Slovenia) to five (Lithuania). Most specific potential barriers were shown in the categories 'prescribing', 'usage' and 'other'. The total number in a single category varied from one to 18 (Lithuania, prescribing). Individual differences between countries in the same specific potential barrier were shown; for example, variation in minimum age criteria for admission to OAT ranging from 15 (Lithuania, in special cases) to 20 years (Greece). All countries had stigmatizing language in their legislation. Patients with opioid dependence are likely to experience specific barriers to accessing opioids in addition to those experienced by other non-dependent patients. © 2017 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Performance of Hispanics and Non-Hispanic Whites on the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery: the roles of ethnicity and language backgrounds.

PubMed

Flores, Ilse; Casaletto, Kaitlin B; Marquine, Maria J; Umlauf, Anya; Moore, David J; Mungas, Dan; Gershon, Richard C; Beaumont, Jennifer L; Heaton, Robert K

2017-05-01

This study examined the influence of Hispanic ethnicity and language/cultural background on performance on the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery (NIHTB-CB). Participants included healthy, primarily English-speaking Hispanic (n = 93; Hispanic-English), primarily Spanish-speaking Hispanic (n = 93; Hispanic-Spanish), and English speaking Non-Hispanic white (n = 93; NH white) adults matched on age, sex, and education levels. All participants were in the NIH Toolbox national norming project and completed the Fluid and Crystallized components of the NIHTB-CB. T-scores (demographically-unadjusted) were developed based on the current sample and were used in analyses. Spanish-speaking Hispanics performed worse than English-speaking Hispanics and NH whites on demographically unadjusted NIHTB-CB Fluid Composite scores (ps < .01). Results on individual measures comprising the Fluid Composite showed significant group differences on tests of executive inhibitory control (p = .001), processing speed (p = .003), and working memory (p < .001), but not on tests of cognitive flexibility or episodic memory. Test performances were associated with language/cultural backgrounds in the Hispanic-Spanish group: better vocabularies and reading were predicted by being born outside the U.S., having Spanish as a first language, attending school outside the U.S., and speaking more Spanish at home. However, many of these same background factors were associated with worse Fluid Composites within the Hispanic-Spanish group. On tests of Fluid cognition, the Hispanic-Spanish group performed the poorest of all groups. Socio-demographic and linguistic factors were associated with those differences. These findings highlight the importance of considering language/cultural backgrounds when interpreting neuropsychological test performances. Importantly, after applying previously published NIHTB-CB norms with demographic corrections, these language/ethnic group differences are eliminated.

Performance of Hispanics and Non-Hispanic Whites on the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery: The Roles of Ethnicity and Language Backgrounds

PubMed Central

Flores, Ilse; Casaletto, Kaitlin B.; Marquine, Maria J.; Umlauf, Anya; Moore, David J.; Mungas, Dan; Gershon, Richard C.; Beaumont, Jennifer L.; Heaton, Robert K.

2017-01-01

Objective This study examined the influence of Hispanic ethnicity and language/cultural background on performance on the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery (NIHTB-CB). Method Participants included healthy, primarily English-speaking Hispanic (n=93; Hispanic-English), primarily Spanish-speaking Hispanic (n=93; Hispanic-Spanish), and English speaking Non-Hispanic White (n=93; NH White) adults matched on age, sex, and education levels. All participants were in the NIH Toolbox national norming project and completed the Fluid and Crystallized components of the NIHTB-CB. T-scores (demographically-unadjusted) were developed based on the current sample and were used in analyses. Results Spanish-speaking Hispanics performed worse than English-speaking Hispanics and NH Whites on demographically-unadjusted NIHTB-CB Fluid Composite scores (ps<.01). Results on individual measures comprising the Fluid Composite showed significant group differences on tests of executive inhibitory control (p=.001), processing speed (p=.003), and working memory (p<.001), but not on tests of cognitive flexibility or episodic memory. Test performances were associated with language/cultural backgrounds in the Hispanic-Spanish group: better vocabularies and reading were predicted by being born outside the U.S., having Spanish as a first language, attending school outside the U.S., and speaking more Spanish at home. However, many of these same background factors were associated with worse Fluid Composites within the Hispanic-Spanish group. Conclusions On tests of Fluid cognition, the Hispanic-Spanish group performed the poorest of all groups. Socio-demographic and linguistic factors were associated with those differences. These findings highlight the importance of considering language/cultural backgrounds when interpreting neuropsychological test performances. Importantly, after applying previously published NIHTB-CB norms with demographic corrections, these language/ethnic group differences are eliminated. PMID:28080261

Teaching Pronunciation to Adult English Language Learners. CAELA Network Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schaetzel, Kirsten; Low, Ee Ling

2009-01-01

Adult English language learners in the United States approach the learning of English pronunciation from a wide variety of native language backgrounds. They may speak languages with sound systems that vary a great deal from that of English. The pronunciation goals and needs of adult English language learners are diverse. These goals and needs…

Influence of Phonology on Morpho-Syntax in Romance Languages in Children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aguilar-Mediavilla, Eva; Sanz-Torrent, Monica; Serra-Raventos, Miquel

2007-01-01

Background: The profiles of children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI) differ greatly according to the language they speak. The Surface Hypothesis attempts to explain these differences through the theory that children with SLI will incorrectly produce elements in their language with low phonological weights or that are produced in a…

What Is the Criterion of Interest in Identifying Limited-English Speaking Students: Language Dominance or Proficiency?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Estes, Gary D.; Estes, Carole

The issue of using language proficiency or language dominance to assess programs for high school students with limited English speaking backgrounds is addressed. The development and initial analyses of the Competency Based Oral Language Assessment (COLA) are discussed. Three components of oral language are rated separately: semantics; syntax and…

Lexical Acquisition over Time in Minority First Language Children Learning English as a Second Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Golberg, Heather; Paradis, Johanne; Crago, Martha

2008-01-01

The English second language development of 19 children (mean age at outset = 5 years, 4 months) from various first language backgrounds was examined every 6 months for 2 years, using spontaneous language sampling, parental questionnaires, and a standardized receptive vocabulary test. Results showed that the children's mean mental age equivalency…

Assessment of Language Impairment in Bilingual Children Using Semantic Tasks: Two Languages Classify Better than One

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peña, Elizabeth D.; Bedore, Lisa M.; Kester, Ellen S.

2016-01-01

Background: Significant progress has been made in the identification of language impairment in children are bilingual. Bilingual children's vocabulary knowledge may be distributed across languages. Thus, when testing bilingual children it is difficult to know how to weigh each language for diagnostic purposes. Even when conceptual scoring is used…

Contributions of Phonological Memory, Language Comprehension and Hearing to the Expressive Language of Adolescents and Young Adults with Down Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laws, Glynis

2004-01-01

Background: Expressive language constitutes a major challenge to the development of individuals with Down syndrome. This paper investigates the relationships between expressive language abilities, language comprehension and the deficits in verbal short-term memory and hearing which are also associated with the syndrome. Methods: Tests of nonverbal…

Home Language and Language Proficiency; A Large-Scale Longitudinal Study in Dutch Primary Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Driessen, Geert; van der Slik, Frans; De Bot, Kees

2002-01-01

Reports on a large-scale longitudinal study into the development of language proficiency of Dutch primary school children aged 7-10. Data on language proficiency and a range of background variables were analyzed. Results suggest that while immigrant children develop their language skill in Dutch considerably over 2 years, they are nonetheless…

Imitative Production of Regular Past Tense -Ed by English-Speaking Children with Specific Language Impairment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dalal, Rinky Harish; Loeb, Diane Frome

2005-01-01

Background: Language intervention procedures often involve the speech-language pathologist highlighting or making more salient forms that are problematic for the child with a language impairment. According to limited processing accounts of specific language impairment (SLI), one way to increase the saliency of a form is to manipulate its sentence…

Executive Functions and Inhibitory Control in Multilingual Children: Evidence from Second-Language Learners, Bilinguals, and Trilinguals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poarch, Gregory J.; van Hell, Janet G.

2012-01-01

In two experiments, we examined inhibitory control processes in three groups of bilinguals and trilinguals that differed in nonnative language proficiency and language learning background. German 5- to 8-year-old second-language learners of English, German-English bilinguals, German-English-Language X trilinguals, and 6- to 8-year-old German…

Language and Disadvantage: A Comparison of the Language Abilities of Adolescents from Two Different Socioeconomic Areas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spencer, Sarah; Clegg, Judy; Stackhouse, Joy

2012-01-01

Background: It is recognized that children from areas associated with socioeconomic disadvantage are at an increased risk of delayed language development. However, so far research has focused mainly on young children and there has been little investigation into language development in adolescence. Aims: To investigate the language abilities of…

Is There Any Interaction between Background Knowledge and Language Proficiency That Affects "TOEFL iBT"® Reading Performance? TOEFL iBT® Research Report. TOEFL iBT-18. ETS Research Report RR-12-22

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Yao Zhang; Liu, Ou Lydia

2012-01-01

This study investigated the effect of the interaction between test takers' background knowledge and language proficiency on their performance on the "TOEFL iBT"® reading section. Test takers with the target content background knowledge (the focal groups) and those without (the reference groups) were identified for each of the 5 selected…

Voluntary peer-led exam preparation course for international first year students: Tutees' perceptions.

PubMed

Huhn, Daniel; Eckart, Wolfgang; Karimian-Jazi, Kianush; Amr, Ali; Herzog, Wolfgang; Nikendei, Christoph

2015-06-18

While the number of international students has increased over the last decade, such students face diverse challenges due to language and cultural barriers. International medical students suffer from personal distress and a lack of support. Their performance is significantly lower than non-international peers in clinical examinations. We investigated whether international students benefit from a peer-led exam preparation course. An exam preparation course was designed, and relevant learning objectives were defined. Two evaluations were undertaken: Using a qualitative approach, tutees (N = 10) were asked for their thoughts and comments in a semi-structured interview at the end of the semester. From a quantitative perspective, all participants (N = 22) were asked to complete questionnaires at the end of each course session. International students reported a range of significant benefits from the course as they prepared for upcoming exams. They benefited from technical and didactic, as well as social learning experiences. They also considered aspects of the tutorial's framework helpful. Social and cognitive congruence seem to be the key factors to success within international medical students' education. If tutors have a migration background, they can operate as authentic role models. Furthermore, because they are still students themselves, they can offer support using relevant and understandable language.

Systematic Review and Meta-study Synthesis of Qualitative Studies Evaluating Facilitators and Barriers to Participation in Colorectal Cancer Screening.

PubMed

Honein-AbouHaidar, Gladys N; Kastner, Monika; Vuong, Vincent; Perrier, Laure; Daly, Corinne; Rabeneck, Linda; Straus, Sharon; Baxter, Nancy N

2016-06-01

Screening reduces the incidence, morbidity, and mortality of colorectal cancer, yet participation tends to be low. We undertook a systematic review and meta-study synthesis of qualitative studies to identify facilitators and barriers to colorectal cancer screening participation. We searched major bibliographic databases for records published in all languages from inception to February 2015. Included primary studies that elicited views and perceptions towards colorectal cancer screening were appraised for relevance and quality. We used a two-stage synthesis to create an interpretation of colorectal cancer screening decisions grounded in primary studies; a thematic analysis to group themes and systematically compare studies and a meta-synthesis to generate an expanded theory of colorectal cancer screening participation. Ninety-four studies were included. The decision to participate in colorectal cancer screening depended on an individual's awareness of colorectal cancer screening. Awareness affected views of cancer, attitudes towards colorectal cancer screening modalities, and motivation for screening. Factors mediating awareness included public education to address misconceptions, primary care physician efforts to recommend screening, and the influence of friends and family. Specific barriers to participation in populations with lower participation rates included language barriers, logistical challenges to attending screening tests, and cultural beliefs. This study identifies key barriers, facilitators, and mediators to colorectal cancer screening participation. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 25(6); 907-17. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

Building an award-winning women's health ambulatory service and beyond.

PubMed

Allen, Lisa W; Maxwell, Susan; Greene, John F

2003-01-01

Many barriers exist for the provision of high-quality health care to inner-city minority women. The barriers include access to care, compliance problems, financial concerns, system navigation issues, as well as language barriers. This article describes the transition of the Women's Ambulatory Health Services at Hartford Hospital from a traditional clinic model to a culturally sensitive private practice model. The road to transition was paved by valuable input from staff as well as patients. The final product was a much more efficient, inviting model that catered to the needs of the community.

Predictors of language service availability in U.S. hospitals

PubMed Central

Schiaffino, Melody K.; Al-Amin, Mona; Schumacher, Jessica R.

2014-01-01

Background: Hispanics comprise 17% of the total U.S. population, surpassing African-Americans as the largest minority group. Linguistically, almost 60 million people speak a language other than English. This language diversity can create barriers and additional burden and risk when seeking health services. Patients with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) for example, have been shown to experience a disproportionate risk of poor health outcomes, making the provision of Language Services (LS) in healthcare facilities critical. Research on the determinants of LS adoption has focused more on overall cultural competence and internal managerial decision-making than on measuring LS adoption as a process outcome influenced by contextual or external factors. The current investigation examines the relationship between state policy, service area factors, and hospital characteristics on hospital LS adoption. Methods: We employ a cross-sectional analysis of survey data from a national sample of hospitals in the American Hospital Association (AHA) database for 2011 (N= 4876) to analyze hospital characteristics and outcomes, augmented with additional population data from the American Community Survey (ACS) to estimate language diversity in the hospital service area. Additional data from the National Health Law Program (NHeLP) facilitated the state level Medicaid reimbursement factor. Results: Only 64% of hospitals offered LS. Hospitals that adopted LS were more likely to be not-for-profit, in areas with higher than average language diversity, larger, and urban. Hospitals in above average language diverse counties had more than 2-fold greater odds of adopting LS than less language diverse areas [Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR): 2.26, P< 0.01]. Further, hospitals with a strategic orientation toward diversity had nearly 2-fold greater odds of adopting LS (AOR: 1.90, P< 0.001). Conclusion: Our findings support the importance of structural and contextual factors as they relate to healthcare delivery. Healthcare organizations must address the needs of the population they serve and align their efforts internally. Current financial incentives do not appear to influence adoption of LS, nor do Medicaid reimbursement funds, thus suggesting that further alignment of incentives. Organizational and system level factors have a place in disparities research and warrant further analysis; additional spatial methods could enhance our understanding of population factors critical to system-level health services research. PMID:25337600

How Deep Is Your Immersion? Policy and Practice in Welsh-Medium Preschools with Children from Different Language Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hickey, Tina M.; Lewis, Gwyn; Baker, Colin

2014-01-01

A challenge noted in a number of endangered language contexts is the need to mix second-language (L2) learners of the target language with first-language (L1) speakers of that language in a less planned way than is found in the two-way immersion approach. Such mixing of L1 speakers of the target language with L2 learners arises from the difficulty…

Narrative Competence in Children with Pragmatic Language Impairment: A Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ketelaars, Mieke P.; Jansonius, Kino; Cuperus, Juliane; Verhoeven, Ludo

2016-01-01

Background: Children with pragmatic language impairment (PLI) show impairments in the use of language in social contexts. Although the issue has been gaining attention in recent literature, not much is known about the developmental trajectories of children who experience pragmatic language problems. Since narrative competence is an important…

Teachers' Perceptions of Language Teaching for English Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schulz, Yoshiko

2017-01-01

Under the No Child Left Behind's educational accountability requirements, the U.S.'s mainstream classroom teachers were responsible for all students' academic language and content knowledge development regardless of students' academic or linguistic backgrounds. A lack of teachers' language awareness appeared to be responsible for teachers'…

A University Post-Entry English Language Assessment: Charting the Changes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Read, John; von Randow, Janet

2013-01-01

The increasingly diverse language backgrounds of their students are creating new challenges for English-medium universities. One response in Australian and New Zealand institutions has been to introduce post-entry language assessment (PELA) to identify incoming students who need to enhance their academic language ability. One successful example of…

Preschool Language Variation, Growth, and Predictors in Children on the Autism Spectrum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellis Weismer, Susan; Kover, Sara T.

2015-01-01

Background: There is wide variation in language abilities among young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), with some toddlers developing age-appropriate language while others remain minimally verbal after age 5. Conflicting findings exist regarding predictors of language outcomes in ASD and various methodological issues limit the…

Use of Noun Morphology by Children with Language Impairment: The Case of Hungarian

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lukacs, Agnes; Leonard, Laurence B.; Kas, Bence

2010-01-01

Background: Children with language impairment often exhibit significant difficulty in the use of grammatical morphology. Although English-speaking children with language impairment have special difficulties with verb morphology, noun morphology can also be problematic in languages of a different typology. Aims: Hungarian is an agglutinating…

Intensity of Language Treatment: Contribution to Children's Language Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmitt, Mary Beth; Justice, Laura M.; Logan, Jessica A. R.

2017-01-01

Background: Treatment intensity is an important factor in designing and delivering treatments to children with language impairment (LI). However, to date very little is understood about cumulative intervention intensity for children with LI in the US public school system. Aims: To examine treatment intensity (dose: time spent on language;…

Latina/os in Rhetoric and Composition: Learning from Their Experiences with Language Diversity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cavazos, Alyssa Guadalupe

2012-01-01

"Latina/os in Rhetoric and Composition: Learning from their Experiences with Language Diversity" explores how Latina/o academics' experiences with language difference contributes to their Latina/o academic identity and success in academe while remaining connected to their heritage language and cultural background. Using qualitative…

The "Fundamental Pedogagical Principle" in Second Language Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krashen, Stephen D.

1981-01-01

A fundamental principle of second language acquisition is stated and applied to language teaching. The principle states that learners acquire a second language when they receive comprehensible input in situations where their affective filters are sufficiently low. The theoretical background of this principle consists of five hypotheses: the…

Factors Affecting Attendance at an Adapted Cardiac Rehabilitation Exercise Program for Individuals with Mobility Deficits Poststroke.

PubMed

Marzolini, Susan; Balitsky, Amaris; Jagroop, David; Corbett, Dale; Brooks, Dina; Grace, Sherry L; Lawrence, Danielle; Oh, Paul I

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the factors affecting attendance at an adapted cardiac rehabilitation program for individuals poststroke. A convenience sample of ambulatory patients with hemiparetic gait rated 20 potential barriers to attendance on a 5-point Likert scale upon completion of a 6-month program of 24 prescheduled weekly sessions. Sociodemographic characteristics, depressive symptoms, cardiovascular fitness, and comorbidities were collected by questionnaire or medical chart. Sixty-one patients attended 77.3 ± 12% of the classes. The longer the elapsed time from stroke, the lower the attendance rate (r = -.34, P = .02). The 4 greatest barriers influencing attendance were severe weather, transportation problems, health problems, and traveling distance. Health problems included hospital readmissions (n = 6), influenza/colds (n = 6), diabetes and cardiac complications (n = 4), and musculoskeletal issues (n = 2). Of the top 4 barriers, people with lower compared to higher income had greater transportation issues (P = .004). Greater motor deficits of the stroke-affected leg were associated with greater barriers related to health issues (r = .7, P = .001). The only sociodemographic factor associated with a higher total mean barrier score was non-English as the primary language spoken at home (P = .002); this factor was specifically related to the barriers of cost (P = .007), family responsibilities (P = .018), and lack of social support (P = .001). No other associations were observed. Barriers to attendance were predominantly related to logistic/transportation and health issues. People who were more disadvantaged socioeconomically (language, finances), and physically (stroke-related deficits) were more affected by these barriers. Strategies to reduce these barriers, including timely referral to exercise programs, need to be investigated. Copyright © 2015 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interlingua: An Interlanguage.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tinsley, Royal L., Jr.

This paper presents the historical background and practical applications of "Interlingua," a language system of common words derived from four control languages. Interlingua and "Esperanto," another artificial language, are compared, emphasizing that international, cross-cultural communication is best served, not by the…

Culture and language differences as a barrier to provision of quality care by the health workforce in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Almutairi, Khalid M

2015-04-01

To identify, synthesize, and summarize issues and challenges related to the culture and language differences of the health workforce in Saudi Arabia. A comprehensive systematic review was conducted in May 2014 to locate published articles. Two independent researchers in consultation with several experts used 4 electronic databases (ISI Web of Knowledge, Science Direct, PubMed, and Cochrane) to scrutinize articles published from January 2000 - March 2014. Each of the studies was given a quality assessment rating of weak, moderate, or strong, and was evaluated for methodological soundness using Russell and Gregory's criteria. The online literature search identified 12 studies that met the inclusion criteria. Lack of knowledge of non-Muslim nurses or culture in Saudi Arabia, difficulties in achieving cultural competence, and culture shock were documented as cultural difference factors. Issues in language difference include the clarity of language use by health care providers in giving information and providing adequate explanation regarding their activities. The available information provided by this review study shows that there is a communication barrier between patients and health care workers such as healthcare workers demonstrate low cultural competency. Despite the fact that the government provides programs for expatriate healthcare workers, there is a need to further improve educational and orientation programs regarding the culture and language in Saudi Arabia.

[Efficacy of cultural-appropriate health education on information, motivation and behavioral skills of fever management for children in new immigrant Vietnamese mothers].

PubMed

Hsu, Hsian-Chou; Chen, Su-Jun; Huang, Mei-Chih

2012-12-01

Fever is the most common symptom in pediatric healthcare. Providing parents with better information on childhood fever management can improve their cognition and home-care abilities. Vietnamese female spouse comprise the largest segment of women who have emigrated from Southeast Asia to Taiwan over the past two decades. After arrival to Taiwan, they have to encounter the events of pregnancy and being a mother. In health care services, language barriers and cultural issues are key healthcare-related barriers to the adaptation of these women to Taiwan society. This study assessed the efficacy of using Vietnamese-language fever management education materials in changing the fever management behaviors of Vietnamese mothers living in Taiwan. This experimental study used a randomly assigned, pre- and post-test approach. A snowball method was used to recruit Vietnamese women living in southern Taiwan with children under 6 years of age. Participants were randomly assigned to experimental (n = 31, Vietnamese-language fever management brochure + VCD) and comparison (n = 30, Chinese-language brochure + VCD) groups. Both groups achieved significantly improvement scores in (fever) information, attitudes, self-efficacy and skills, with improvements significantly higher in the experimental group than the comparison group. This study supports that fever management education presented in the recipient's primary language effectively improves recipient fever management knowledge, attitudes, skills, and self-efficacy.

Meeting the Needs of High School Science Teachers in English Language Learner Instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Seonhee; McDonnough, Jacqueline T.

2009-08-01

This survey study explored high school science teachers’ challenges and needs specific to their growing English language learning (ELL) student population. Thirty-three science teachers from 6 English as a Second language (ESL)-center high schools in central Virginia participated in the survey. Issues surveyed were (a) strategies used by science teachers to accommodate ELL students’ special needs, (b) challenges they experienced, and (c) support and training necessary for effective ELL instruction. Results suggest that language barriers as well as ELL students’ lack of science foundational knowledge challenged teachers most. Teachers perceived that appropriate instructional materials and pedagogical training was most needed. The findings have implications for science teacher preservice and inservice education in regard to working with language minority students.

Discrimination and Other Barriers to Accessing Health Care: Perspectives of Patients with Mild and Moderate Intellectual Disability and Their Carers

PubMed Central

Ali, Afia; Scior, Katrina; Ratti, Victoria; Strydom, Andre; King, Michael; Hassiotis, Angela

2013-01-01

Background People with intellectual disability have a higher prevalence of physical health problems but often experience disparities in accessing health care. In England, a number of legislative changes, policies and recommendations have been introduced to improve health care access for this population. The aim of this qualitative study was to examine the extent to which patients with intellectual disability and their carers experience discrimination or other barriers in accessing health services, and whether health care experiences have improved over the last decade years. Method and Main Findings Twenty nine participants (14 patient and carer dyads, and one carer) took part in semi-structured interviews. The interviews were audio-taped and transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Eight themes were identified. Half the participants thought that the patient had been treated unfairly or had been discriminated against by health services. There were accounts of negative staff attitudes and behaviour, and failure of services to make reasonable adjustments. Other barriers included problems with communication, and accessing services because of lack of knowledge of local services and service eligibility issues; lack of support and involvement of carers; and language problems in participants from minority ethnic groups. Most participants were able to report at least one example of good practice in health care provision. Suggestions for improving services are presented. Conclusion Despite some improvements to services as a result of health policies and recommendations, more progress is required to ensure that health services make reasonable adjustments to reduce both direct and indirect discrimination of people with intellectual disability. PMID:23951026

An L1-Script-Transfer-Effect Fallacy: A Rejoinder to Wang et al

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yamada, Jun

2004-01-01

Do different L1 (first language) writing systems differentially affect word identification in English as a second language (ESL)? Wang, Koda, and Perfetti [Cognition 87 (2003) 129] answered yes by examining Chinese students with a logographic L1 background and Korean students with an alphabetic L1 background for their phonological and orthographic…

Phonological Awareness and Language Intervention in Preschoolers from Low Socio-Economic Backgrounds: A Longitudinal Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Connor, Meghan; Arnott, Wendy; McIntosh, Beth; Dodd, Barbara

2009-01-01

This study examines the literacy outcomes for children from socially disadvantaged backgrounds who had received specific whole-class phonological awareness (PA) and language intervention in preschool. The participants were 57 children who had been involved in the original intervention study. Their PA skills, letter-sound knowledge, real word and…

False Belief Understanding in Language Impaired and Typically Developing Spanish-Speaking Preschoolers from Lower Income Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guiberson, Mark; Rodriguez, Barbara L.

2013-01-01

Research Findings: The present study describes developmental trends in false belief (in other and self) in 46 Mexican-dialect Spanish-speaking children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds with and without language impairment (LI). Results indicate that typically developing children's performance on false belief tasks improves with age, with very…

Identification of Fluency and Word-Finding Difficulty in Samples of Children with Diverse Language Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howell, Peter; Tang, Kevin; Tuomainen, Outi; Chan, Sin Kan; Beltran, Kirsten; Mirawdeli, Avin; Harris, John

2017-01-01

Background: Stuttering and word-finding difficulty (WFD) are two types of communication difficulty that occur frequently in children who learn English as an additional language (EAL), as well as those who only speak English. The two disorders require different, specific forms of intervention. Prior research has described the symptoms of each type…

Equity or Equality? Students with Language Backgrounds Other Than English. Centre for the Study of Higher Education Research Working Papers, 93.8.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isaac, Anne

This paper reviews participation patterns of migrants, refugees, and permanent residents with language backgrounds other than English (LBOTE), at Australian universities in general, and the University of Melbourne in particular. It critically examines the effectiveness of current measures designed to improve the opportunities and university…

Immigrant Status and Home Language Background: Implications for Australian Student Performance in PISA 2000

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cresswell, John

2004-01-01

The primary focus of this report is to examine the effect that immigrant status and home language background may have on the performance of Australian students who participated in the OECD/Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA 2000). Approximately 5,477 students from 231 schools across Australia participated in the study. In this…

Language Rights: A Framework for Ensuring Social Equity in Planning and Implementing National-Education Policies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hossain, Tania; Pratt, Cornelius B.

2008-01-01

Background: An important issue in the discourse on language rights is the degree to which they influence the development and implementation of language policies or perpetuate inequalities in many language situations. Skutnabb-Kangas (1996, 2002a, 2002b) and May (2000), for example, have argued that language rights offer a reasonable framework for…

Heterogeneity and Plasticity in the Development of Language: A 17-Year Follow-Up of Children Referred Early for Possible Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pickles, Andrew; Anderson, Deborah K.; Lord, Catherine

2014-01-01

Background: Delayed, abnormal language is a common feature of autism and language therapy often a significant component of recommended treatment. However, as with other disorders with a language component, we know surprisingly little about the language trajectories and how varied these might be across different children. Thus, we know little about…

Intrinsic Difficulties in Learning Common Greek-Originated English Words: The Case of Pluralization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kavakli, Nurdan

2016-01-01

Knowing the origin of a language helps us to determine the historical background of that language. As language itself is such a system of a society that is continuously evolving as that aforementioned society learns and technologically develops along with its roots or origins. Like many other languages, English is also a language that has roots or…

Meaning and Function of Dummy Auxiliaries in Adult Acquisition of Dutch as an Additional Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Julien, Manuela; van Hout, Roeland; van de Craats, Ineke

2016-01-01

This article presents the results of experimental data on language production and comprehension. These show that adult learners of Dutch as an additional language, with different language backgrounds, and a L2 proficiency below level A2 (Waystage) of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR; Council of Europe, 2001), use…

Language Specialists' Views on the Academic Language and Learning Abilities of English as an Additional Language Postgraduate Coursework Students: Towards an Adjunct Tutorial Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fenton-Smith, Ben; Humphreys, Pamela

2017-01-01

As in other Anglophone nations, a large percentage of Australia's postgraduate international students come from English as an additional language (EAL) backgrounds, and many require development of their academic language and learning (ALL) capabilities to successfully navigate a higher degree. This paper investigates those capabilities through the…

Learning Styles and Individual Differences in Learning English Idioms via Computer Assisted Language Learning in English as a Second Language.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Viteli, Jarmo

The purpose of this study was to determine the learning styles of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students and individual differences in learning English idioms via computer assisted language learning (CALL). Thirty-six Hispanic students, 26 Japanese students, and 6 students with various language backgrounds from the Nova University Intensive…

Monitoring for Equality? Asylum Seekers and Refugees' Retention and Achievement in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillimore, Jenny

2011-01-01

Interest in the integration of refugees has grown with the increase in numbers of asylum seekers dispersed across the UK. The ability to communicate effectively in English is seen as the key priority in facilitating integration, while a lack of English language is seen as one of the major barriers to refugee employment. Some 267 million British…

The Use of Mobile Devices Outside of the Classroom for Self-Directed Learning among Female EFL Students in Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albedah, Fatimah; Lee, Chwee Beng

2017-01-01

English language proficiency is an increasingly vital skill for employment in Saudi Arabia. However, compulsory English as a foreign language courses at all levels of education have only produced inadequate results. One of the issues consistently raised as a barrier to effective EFL learning is the use of passive learning pedagogies and the lack…

Arabic Teachers' Perception of an Integrated Approach for Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language in Colleges and Universities in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Mohsen, Abeer

2016-01-01

This study examines the perception of Arabic teachers on whether an integrated approach is critical for students' communicative competence in Arabic. Additionally, the study attempts to uncover what might be potential barriers to the integrated-approach program-wide implementation in the field of Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language in higher…

"We communicated that way for a reason": language practices and language ideologies among hearing adults whose parents are deaf.

PubMed

Pizer, Ginger; Walters, Keith; Meier, Richard P

2013-01-01

Families with deaf parents and hearing children are often bilingual and bimodal, with both a spoken language and a signed one in regular use among family members. When interviewed, 13 American hearing adults with deaf parents reported widely varying language practices, sign language abilities, and social affiliations with Deaf and Hearing communities. Despite this variation, the interviewees' moral judgments of their own and others' communicative behavior suggest that these adults share a language ideology concerning the obligation of all family members to expend effort to overcome potential communication barriers. To our knowledge, such a language ideology is not similarly pervasive among spoken-language bilingual families, raising the question of whether there is something unique about family bimodal bilingualism that imposes different rights and responsibilities on family members than spoken-language family bilingualism does. This ideology unites an otherwise diverse group of interviewees, where each one preemptively denied being a "typical CODA [children of deaf adult]."

Medical Home Disparities for Latino Children by Parental Language of Interview

PubMed Central

DeCamp, Lisa Ross; Choi, Hwajung; Davis, Matthew M.

2015-01-01

Examination of Latino children in aggregate ignores important subgroup differences due to the parents’ English language ability. Previous reports of the pediatric medical home have not stratified Latino children by parental language differences to compare the two groups directly. We analyzed the 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health to determine medical home prevalence among Latino children, stratified by language of parental interview. Most Latino children with a Spanish-language parental interview had a usual source of care, but only one-quarter had a medical home. Striking medical home disparities persisted for Latino children with a Spanish-language interview, even after adjustment for potential confounders. Lack of a medical home was associated with disparities in the quality of care, more so than access disparities. Addressing health care disparities for Latino children requires particular attention to the unique needs of Latino children with parents who may experience language barriers during health care encounters. PMID:22080700

Healthcare Communication Barriers and Self-Rated Health in Older Chinese American Immigrants.

PubMed

Tsoh, Janice Y; Sentell, Tetine; Gildengorin, Ginny; Le, Gem M; Chan, Elaine; Fung, Lei-Chun; Pasick, Rena J; Stewart, Susan; Wong, Ching; Woo, Kent; Burke, Adam; Wang, Jun; McPhee, Stephen J; Nguyen, Tung T

2016-08-01

Older Chinese immigrants are a growing population in the United States who experience multiple healthcare communication barriers such as limited English proficiency and low health literacy. Each of these obstacles has been associated with poor health outcomes but less is known about their effects in combination. This study examined the association between healthcare communication barriers and self-rated health among older Chinese immigrants. Cross-sectional survey data were obtained from 705 Chinese American immigrants ages 50-75 living in San Francisco, California. Communication barriers examined included spoken English proficiency, medical interpreter needs, and health literacy in written health information. The study sample (81 % females, mean age = 62) included 67 % who spoke English poorly or not at all, 34 % who reported needing a medical interpreter, and 37 % who reported "often" or "always" needing assistance to read health information. Two-thirds reported poor self-rated health; many reported having access to racial-concordant (74 %) and language-concordant (86 %) healthcare services. Both poor spoken English proficiency and low health literacy were associated with poor self-rated health, independent of other significant correlates (unemployment, chronic health conditions, and having a primary doctor who was ethnic Chinese). Results revealed that spoken English proficiency and print health literacy are independent communication barriers that are directly associated with health status among elderly Chinese American immigrants. Access to racial- or language-concordant health care services did not appear to resolve these barriers. These findings underscore the importance of addressing both spoken and written healthcare communication needs among older Chinese American immigrants.

Healthcare Communication Barriers and Self-Rated Health in Older Chinese American Immigrants

PubMed Central

Tsoh, Janice Y.; Sentell, Tetine; Gildengorin, Ginny; Le, Gem M.; Chan, Elaine; Fung, Lei-Chun; Pasick, Rena J.; Stewart, Susan; Wong, Ching; Woo, Kent; Burke, Adam; Wang, Jun; McPhee, Stephen J.; Nguyen, Tung T.

2016-01-01

Older Chinese immigrants are a growing population in the United States who experience multiple healthcare communication barriers such as limited English proficiency and low health literacy. Each of these obstacles has been associated with poor health outcomes but less is known about their effects in combination. This study examined the association between healthcare communication barriers and self-rated health among older Chinese immigrants. Cross-sectional survey data were obtained from 705 Chinese American immigrants ages 50-75 living in San Francisco, California. Communication barriers examined included spoken English proficiency, medical interpreter needs, and health literacy in written health information. The study sample (81% females, mean age = 62) included 67% who spoke English poorly or not at all, 34% who reported needing a medical interpreter, and 37% who reported “often” or “always” needing assistance to read health information. Two-thirds (66%) reported poor self-rated health; many reported having access to racial-concordant (74%) and language-concordant (86%) healthcare services. Both poor spoken English proficiency and low health literacy were associated with poor self-rated health, independent of other significant correlates (unemployment, chronic health conditions, and having a primary doctor who was ethnic Chinese). Results revealed that spoken English proficiency and print health literacy are independent communication barriers that directly associated with the health status among elderly Chinese American immigrants. Access to racial- or language-concordant health care services did not appear to resolve these barriers. These findings underscore the importance of addressing both spoken and written healthcare communication needs among older Chinese American immigrants. PMID:26746205

Translation, Cross-cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Validation of the Korean-Language Cardiac Rehabilitation Barriers Scale (CRBS-K).

PubMed

Baek, Sora; Park, Hee-Won; Lee, Yookyung; Grace, Sherry L; Kim, Won-Seok

2017-10-01

To perform a translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Barriers Scale (CRBS) for use in Korea, followed by psychometric validation. The CRBS was developed to assess patients' perception of the degree to which patient, provider and health system-level barriers affect their cardiac rehabilitation (CR) participation. The CRBS consists of 21 items (barriers to adherence) rated on a 5-point Likert scale. The first phase was to translate and cross-culturally adapt the CRBS to the Korean language. After back-translation, both versions were reviewed by a committee. The face validity was assessed in a sample of Korean patients (n=53) with history of acute myocardial infarction that did not participate in CR through semi-structured interviews. The second phase was to assess the construct and criterion validity of the Korean translation as well as internal reliability, through administration of the translated version in 104 patients, principle component analysis with varimax rotation and cross-referencing against CR use, respectively. The length, readability, and clarity of the questionnaire were rated well, demonstrating face validity. Analysis revealed a six-factor solution, demonstrating construct validity. Cronbach's alpha was greater than 0.65. Barriers rated highest included not knowing about CR and not being contacted by a program. The mean CRBS score was significantly higher among non-attendees (2.71±0.26) than CR attendees (2.51±0.18) (p<0.01). The Korean version of CRBS has demonstrated face, content and criterion validity, suggesting it may be useful for assessing barriers to CR utilization in Korea.

Accessing medication information by ethnic minorities: barriers and possible solutions.

PubMed

Schaafsma, Evelyn S; Raynor, Theo D; de Jong-van den Berg, Lolkje T

2003-10-01

This review discusses two main questions: how suitable is current consumer medication information for minority ethnic groups, and what are effective strategies to overcome existing barriers. The focus is on minority groups whose first language is not the language of the healthcare system. We searched electronic databases and printed scientific journals focusing on (ethnic) minorities, health and/or (intercultural) communication. We also asked a discussion group for references. We found only a few articles on intercultural communication on medication or pharmacy information and one article on the improvement of intercultural communication in the pharmacy. Barriers to the access of medication information by ethnic minorities include second language issues and cultural differences due to different health beliefs, together with the low socio-economic status often seen among ethnic minorities. Cultural differences also exist among different socio-economic classes rather than only among ethnic groups. Most often, informal interpreters are used to improve intercultural communication. However, this may result in miscommunication due to a lack of medical knowledge or training on the part of the interpreter. To minimise miscommunication, bilingual health professionals or health interpreters/advocates can be used, although communication problems may still occur. The effectiveness of written information depends on the literacy skills of the target population. Cultural, medical and dialect biases should be avoided by testing the material. Multimedia systems may be alternatives to conventional written information. Barriers that ethnic minorities face in accessing medication information and possible solutions involving counselling and additional tools were identified for pharmacy practice. However, more research is needed to develop effective strategies for patient counselling in pharmacy to meet the needs of ethnic minorities.

Barriers to calling 911 and learning and performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation for residents of primarily Latino, high-risk neighborhoods in Denver, Colorado.

PubMed

Sasson, Comilla; Haukoos, Jason S; Ben-Youssef, Leila; Ramirez, Lorenzo; Bull, Sheana; Eigel, Brian; Magid, David J; Padilla, Ricardo

2015-05-01

Individuals in neighborhoods composed of minority and lower socioeconomic status populations are more likely to have an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest event, less likely to have bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) performed, and less likely to survive. Latino cardiac arrest victims are 30% less likely than whites to have bystander CPR performed. The goal of this study is to identify barriers and facilitators to calling 911, and learning and performing CPR in 5 low-income, Latino neighborhoods in Denver, CO. Six focus groups and 9 key informant interviews were conducted in Denver during the summer of 2012. Purposeful and snowball sampling, conducted by community liaisons, was used to recruit participants. Two reviewers analyzed the data to identify recurrent and unifying themes. A qualitative content analysis was used with a 5-stage iterative process to analyze each transcript. Six key barriers to calling 911 were identified: fear of becoming involved because of distrust of law enforcement, financial, immigration status, lack of recognition of cardiac arrest event, language, and violence. Seven cultural barriers were identified that may preclude performance of bystander CPR: age, sex, immigration status, language, racism, strangers, and fear of touching someone. Participants suggested that increasing availability of tailored education in Spanish, increasing the number of bilingual 911 dispatchers, and policy-level changes, including CPR as a requirement for graduation and strengthening Good Samaritan laws, may serve as potential facilitators in increasing the provision of bystander CPR. Distrust of law enforcement, language concerns, lack of recognition of cardiac arrest, and financial issues must be addressed when community-based CPR educational programs for Latinos are implemented. Copyright © 2014 American College of Emergency Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Barriers to Calling 911 and Learning and Performing Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation for Residents of Primarily Latino, High-Risk Neighborhoods in Denver, Colorado

PubMed Central

Sasson, Comilla; Haukoos, Jason S.; Ben-Youssef, Leila; Ramirez, Lorenzo; Bull, Sheana; Eigel, Brian; Magid, David J.; Padilla, Ricardo

2016-01-01

Study objective Individuals in neighborhoods composed of minority and lower socioeconomic status populations are more likely to have an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest event, less likely to have bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) performed, and less likely to survive. Latino cardiac arrest victims are 30% less likely than whites to have bystander CPR performed. The goal of this study is to identify barriers and facilitators to calling 911, and learning and performing CPR in 5 low-income, Latino neighborhoods in Denver, CO. Methods Six focus groups and 9 key informant interviews were conducted in Denver during the summer of 2012. Purposeful and snowball sampling, conducted by community liaisons, was used to recruit participants. Two reviewers analyzed the data to identify recurrent and unifying themes. A qualitative content analysis was used with a 5-stage iterative process to analyze each transcript. Results Six key barriers to calling 911 were identified: fear of becoming involved because of distrust of law enforcement, financial, immigration status, lack of recognition of cardiac arrest event, language, and violence. Seven cultural barriers were identified that may preclude performance of bystander CPR: age, sex, immigration status, language, racism, strangers, and fear of touching someone. Participants suggested that increasing availability of tailored education in Spanish, increasing the number of bilingual 911 dispatchers, and policy-level changes, including CPR as a requirement for graduation and strengthening Good Samaritan laws, may serve as potential facilitators in increasing the provision of bystander CPR. Conclusion Distrust of law enforcement, language concerns, lack of recognition of cardiac arrest, and financial issues must be addressed when community-based CPR educational programs for Latinos are implemented. PMID:25481112

Culture, Language, Pedagogy: The Place of Culture in Language Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Badger, Richard; MacDonald, Malcolm N.

2007-01-01

The principles of many international language teacher education programmes are grounded in a relatively homogenous set of "Western" cultural values, even though their participants come from a wide range of different cultural backgrounds. This paper addresses some of the issues surrounding the role of culture in language teacher education and…

Effect of Cultural Distance on Translation of Culture-Bound Texts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rafieyan, Vahid

2016-01-01

Sociolinguistic and sociocultural features of the source language can be ideally transferred to the target language when the translator's cultural background knowledge has a high overlap with the source language culture. This signifies the crucial role of national cultural distance from the source language society in the quality of translation of…

Cognitive Process in Second Language Reading: Transfer of L1 Reading Skills and Strategies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koda, Keiko

1988-01-01

Experiments with skilled readers (N=83) from four native-language orthographic backgrounds examined the effects of: (1) blocked visual or auditory information on lexical decision-making; and (2) heterographic homophones on reading comprehension. Native and second language transfer does occur in second language reading, and orthographic structure…

Language and Power: Raising Awareness of the Role of Language in Multicultural Teams

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garcia, Maria del Carmen Mendez; Canado, Maria Luisa Perez

2005-01-01

The present paper explores the role language plays in establishing power relations in multicultural teams, understood as teams comprising members from three or more than three different national, cultural and linguistic backgrounds. To this end, the general relationship between language and power is examined in an initial theoretical section and…

The Multi-Level Classroom or the One Room Little Red School-House Revisited.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Courchene, Robert

1984-01-01

Describes language lab listening activity designed to serve needs of the English as a second language class comprised of students at different levels of language proficiency, divergent native languages, multicultural backgrounds, and varying levels of formal education. Multilevel tasks are drawn from a common text, allowing students to do…

Variability and Variation in Second Language Acquisition Orders: A Dynamic Reevaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowie, Wander; Verspoor, Marjolijn

2015-01-01

The traditional morpheme order studies in second language acquisition have tried to demonstrate the existence of a fixed order of acquisition of English morphemes, regardless of the second language learner's background. Such orders have been taken as evidence of the preprogrammed nature of language acquisition. This article argues for a…

Making a Difference: Language Teaching for Intercultural and International Dialogue

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byram, Michael; Wagner, Manuela

2018-01-01

Language teaching has long been associated with teaching in a country or countries where a target language is spoken, but this approach is inadequate. In the contemporary world, language teaching has a responsibility to prepare learners for interaction with people of other cultural backgrounds, teaching them skills and attitudes as well as…

Early Pragmatic Language Difficulties in Siblings of Children with Autism: Implications for "DSM-5" Social Communication Disorder?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Meghan; Young, Gregory S.; Hutman, Ted; Johnson, Scott; Schwichtenberg, A. J.; Ozonoff, Sally

2015-01-01

Background: We evaluated early pragmatic language skills in preschool-age siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and examined correspondence between pragmatic language impairments and general language difficulties, autism symptomatology, and clinical outcomes. Methods: Participants were younger siblings of children with ASD…

English as a Lingua Franca: Implications for Pedagogy and Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fang, Fan

2017-01-01

The English language functions as a global language that facilitates communication among people of different lingua-cultures. This background leads to the question of whether the traditional language assessment still fulfils the needs of the majority of language learners who will use English for various purposes with people from different…

Improving Comprehension in Adolescents with Severe Receptive Language Impairments: A Randomized Control Trial of Intervention for Coordinating Conjunctions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ebbels, Susan H.; Maric, Nataša; Murphy, Aoife; Turner, Gail

2014-01-01

Background: Little evidence exists for the effectiveness of therapy for children with receptive language difficulties, particularly those whose difficulties are severe and persistent. Aims: To establish the effectiveness of explicit speech and language therapy with visual support for secondary school-aged children with language impairments…

Politeness Strategies among Native and Romanian Speakers of English

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ambrose, Dominic

1995-01-01

Background: Politeness strategies vary from language to language and within each society. At times the wrong strategies can have disastrous effects. This can occur when languages are used by non-native speakers or when they are used outside of their own home linguistic context. Purpose: This study of spoken language compares the politeness…

THE SLAVIC LANGUAGES - THEIR EXTERNAL HISTORY.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

BIDWELL, CHARLES E.

THIS INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF THE SLAVIC LANGUAGES IS DESIGNED FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS INTERESTED IN SLAVIC AREA STUDIES OR HISTORY. THE AUTHOR FIRST PRESENTS A GENERAL TYPOLOGY OF THE SLAVIC LANGUAGES AND LISTS THEM WITH THEIR MAJOR SPEECH COMMUNITIES. THE BACKGROUND OF EACH LANGUAGE IS THEN DISCUSSED IN SOME DETAIL INCLUDING THE MAJOR…

The Development of Executive Function and Language Skills in the Early School Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gooch, Debbie; Thompson, Paul; Nash, Hannah M.; Snowling, Margaret J.; Hulme, Charles

2016-01-01

Background: The developmental relationships between executive functions (EF) and early language skills are unclear. This study explores the longitudinal relationships between children's early EF and language skills in a sample of children with a wide range of language abilities including children at risk of dyslexia. In addition, we investigated…

Inference and Sentence Comprehension in Children with Specific or Pragmatic Language Impairments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Catherine; Clarke, Elaine; Haynes, Rebecca

2009-01-01

Background: Children with language impairments have difficulty in reporting verbal inferences, but it is unclear whether the source of this problem lies in limitations of language comprehension, an inability to access world knowledge, or the integration of information in discourse. Children with pragmatic language impairments (CwPLI) are often…

Demonstration Center for Language-Handicapped Children. Research Monographs; Vol. 1, No. 1-10.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Education Service Center Region 4, Houston, TX.

Brief research monographs produced by The Demonstration Center for Language Handicapped (LH) Children are collected. The monographs address the following topics: the historical background and objectives of the language center; the effects of support personnel on the academic performance of LH children; the incidence of language handicaps among…

Impact of Spanish-language information sessions on Spanish-speaking patients seeking bariatric surgery.

PubMed

Martin, Allison N; Marino, Miguel; Killerby, Marie; Rosselli-Risal, Liliana; Isom, Kellene A; Robinson, Malcolm K

2017-06-01

Bariatric centers frequently provide preoperative educational programs to inform patients about the risks and benefits of weight loss surgery. However, most programs are conducted in English, which may create barriers to effective treatment and access to care for non-English speaking populations. To address this concern, we instituted a comprehensive Spanish-language education program consisting of preoperative information and group nutrition classes conducted entirely in, and supported with Spanish-language materials. The primary aim was to examine the effect of this intervention on Spanish-speaking patients' decision to undergo surgery in a pilot study. University Hospital/Community Health Center, United States. Three cohorts of patients seeking bariatric surgery between January 1, 2011 and March 31, 2012 were identified: 1) primary English speakers attending English-language programs ("English-English"); 2) primary Spanish speakers attending Spanish-language programs ("Spanish-Spanish"); and 3) primary Spanish speakers attending English-speaking programs with the assistance of a Spanish-to-English translator ("Spanish-English"). 26% of the English-English cohort ultimately underwent surgery compared with only 12% of the Spanish-Spanish cohort (P = .009). Compared with the English-English group, time to surgery was 35 days longer for the Spanish-Spanish and 185 days longer for the Spanish-English group (both P< .001). Spanish-speaking patients were less likely to undergo bariatric surgery regardless of the language in which educational sessions are provided. For those choosing surgery, providing Spanish-language sessions can shorten time to surgery. A barrier to effective obesity treatment may exist for Spanish speakers, which may be only partially overcome by providing support in Spanish. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The impact of language barriers and immigration status on the care experience for Spanish-speaking caregivers of patients with pediatric cancer.

PubMed

Zamora, Eduardo R; Kaul, Sapna; Kirchhoff, Anne C; Gwilliam, Vannina; Jimenez, Ornella A; Morreall, Deborah K; Montenegro, Roberto E; Kinney, Anita Y; Fluchel, Mark N

2016-12-01

An increasing proportion of pediatric cancer patients in the United States are Latino and many have Spanish-speaking immigrant parents with limited English proficiency (LEP). Little is known about how language or undocumented immigration status impacts their care experience. A cross-sectional survey was administered to English (N = 310) and Spanish-speaking LEP (N = 56) caregivers of pediatric cancer patients. To assess differences in healthcare experiences between the language groups, t-tests and chi-square statistics were used. Multivariable logistic regression evaluated associations between primary language and knowledge of clinical trial status. Spanish-speaking caregivers were more likely to report higher rates of quitting or changing jobs as a direct result of their child's cancer, and their children were more likely to experience a delay in education. Although Spanish-speaking caregivers reported higher satisfaction with care, 32% reported feeling that their child would have received better care if English was their primary language. Spanish-speaking caregivers were more likely to incorrectly identify whether their child was on a clinical trial compared with English-speaking caregivers. The majority of Spanish-speaking caregivers reported at least one undocumented caregiver in the household and 11% of them avoided or delayed medical care for their child due to concerns over their undocumented immigration status. Language barriers and undocumented immigration status may negatively impact the quality of informed decision-making and the care experience for Spanish-speaking LEP caregivers of pediatric cancer patients. These families may benefit from culturally appropriate Spanish language resources to improve communication and open a dialogue regarding undocumented immigration status. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Language and use of cancer screening services among border and non-border Hispanic Texas women.

PubMed

Fernández, Leticia E; Morales, Alfonso

2007-06-01

Compared to other groups, Mexican American women screen less frequently for cervical and breast cancer. The most significant barriers reported by previous researchers include not having a usual source of care, lacking health insurance and English-language difficulties. In this paper we document and examine the factors associated with disparities in cancer screening between border and non-border residents by language of interview (Spanish or English) among Texas Hispanic women. We hypothesize that, controlling for socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, border residents are more likely to utilize screening services than non-border residents because of the greater presence of bilingual services in border counties. We follow the framework of the Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations proposed by Gelberg et al. (Health Services Research, vol. 34, no. 6, pp. 1273-1302, 2000). This model conceptualizes use of health care as an outcome of the interplay of predisposing, enabling and need factors and recognizes that vulnerable groups face additional barriers to health care utilization. Data come from the 2000, 2002 and 2004 Texas Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance surveys. Group differences in cancer screenings are explained largely by socioeconomic characteristics and structural barriers to access. The significance of language of interview and of border residence disappear after controlling for factors such as health insurance, income and a usual source of care. Women who selected to be interviewed in Spanish were less likely to report age-appropriate cancer examinations, health insurance and a regular health care provider than those who selected to be interviewed in English. Disparities in cancer screenings among vulnerable Hispanic populations could be reduced by promoting the establishment of a regular health care provider.

Linguistic contributions to speech-on-speech masking for native and non-native listeners: language familiarity and semantic content.

PubMed

Brouwer, Susanne; Van Engen, Kristin J; Calandruccio, Lauren; Bradlow, Ann R

2012-02-01

This study examined whether speech-on-speech masking is sensitive to variation in the degree of similarity between the target and the masker speech. Three experiments investigated whether speech-in-speech recognition varies across different background speech languages (English vs Dutch) for both English and Dutch targets, as well as across variation in the semantic content of the background speech (meaningful vs semantically anomalous sentences), and across variation in listener status vis-à-vis the target and masker languages (native, non-native, or unfamiliar). The results showed that the more similar the target speech is to the masker speech (e.g., same vs different language, same vs different levels of semantic content), the greater the interference on speech recognition accuracy. Moreover, the listener's knowledge of the target and the background language modulate the size of the release from masking. These factors had an especially strong effect on masking effectiveness in highly unfavorable listening conditions. Overall this research provided evidence that that the degree of target-masker similarity plays a significant role in speech-in-speech recognition. The results also give insight into how listeners assign their resources differently depending on whether they are listening to their first or second language. © 2012 Acoustical Society of America

Linguistic contributions to speech-on-speech masking for native and non-native listeners: Language familiarity and semantic content

PubMed Central

Brouwer, Susanne; Van Engen, Kristin J.; Calandruccio, Lauren; Bradlow, Ann R.

2012-01-01

This study examined whether speech-on-speech masking is sensitive to variation in the degree of similarity between the target and the masker speech. Three experiments investigated whether speech-in-speech recognition varies across different background speech languages (English vs Dutch) for both English and Dutch targets, as well as across variation in the semantic content of the background speech (meaningful vs semantically anomalous sentences), and across variation in listener status vis-à-vis the target and masker languages (native, non-native, or unfamiliar). The results showed that the more similar the target speech is to the masker speech (e.g., same vs different language, same vs different levels of semantic content), the greater the interference on speech recognition accuracy. Moreover, the listener’s knowledge of the target and the background language modulate the size of the release from masking. These factors had an especially strong effect on masking effectiveness in highly unfavorable listening conditions. Overall this research provided evidence that that the degree of target-masker similarity plays a significant role in speech-in-speech recognition. The results also give insight into how listeners assign their resources differently depending on whether they are listening to their first or second language. PMID:22352516

Effects of Elementary School Home Language, Immigrant Generation, Language Classification, and School's English Learner Concentration on Latinos' High School Completion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zarate, Maria Estela; Pineda, Claudia G.

2014-01-01

Background/Context: Relying largely on high school measures of home language use, the literature examining immigrant incorporation in schools provides contradictory evidence of home language effects on educational outcomes. More recent research has demonstrated that home language use is dynamic and thus it is important to examine the implications…

At the Crossroads of Learning and Culture: Identifying a Construct for Effective Computer-Assisted Language Learning for English Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaw, Yun

2010-01-01

Many of the commercial Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) programs available today typically take a generic approach. This approach standardizes the program so that it can be used to teach any language merely by translating the content from one language to another. These CALL programs rarely consider the cultural background or preferred…

Identifying Differences in Early Literacy Skills across Subgroups of Language-Minority Children: A Latent Profile Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lonigan, Christopher J.; Goodrich, J. Marc; Farver, JoAnn M.

2018-01-01

Despite acknowledgment that language-minority children come from a wide variety of home language backgrounds and have a wide range of proficiency in their first (L1) and second (L2) languages, it is unknown whether differences across language-minority children in relative and absolute levels of proficiency in L1 and L2 predict subsequent…

Early Adolescent Outcomes of Institutionally-Deprived and Non-Deprived Adoptees. II: Language as a Protective Factor and a Vulnerable Outcome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Croft, Carla; Beckett, Celia; Rutter, Michael; Castle, Jenny; Colvert, Emma; Groothues, Christine; Hawkins, Amanda; Kreppner, Jana; Stevens, Suzanne E.; Sonuga-Barke, Edmund J. S.

2007-01-01

Background: There is uncertainty about the extent to which language skills are part of general intelligence and even more uncertainty on whether deprivation has differential effects on language and non-language skills. Methods: Language and cognitive outcomes at 6 and 11 years of age were compared between a sample of 132 institution-reared…

Assessing Verbal Functioning in South African School Beginners from Diverse Socioeconomic Backgrounds: A Comparison between Verbal Working Memory and Vocabulary Measures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cockcroft, Kate; Bloch, Lauren; Moolla, Azra

2016-01-01

This study investigated whether measures of verbal working memory are less sensitive to children's socioeconomic background than traditional vocabulary measures. Participants were 120 school beginners, divided into high and low socioeconomic groups. The groups contained equal numbers of English first-language and second-language speakers. All were…

Learner Background and the Acquisition of Discourse Features of Korean in the Australian Secondary School Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Sun Hee Ok

2012-01-01

This paper explores how learner background shapes learner performance on discourse features in writing by analysing data produced as part of the Student Achievement in Asian Languages Education project (Scarino et al., 2011) by Year 10 (mid-secondary school) students learning Korean as a foreign or heritage language. Five participants were in…

Learning in Complex Environments: The Effects of Background Speech on Early Word Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMillan, Brianna T. M.; Saffran, Jenny R.

2016-01-01

Although most studies of language learning take place in quiet laboratory settings, everyday language learning occurs under noisy conditions. The current research investigated the effects of background speech on word learning. Both younger (22- to 24-month-olds; n = 40) and older (28- to 30-month-olds; n = 40) toddlers successfully learned novel…

The Impact of Utilising Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) on Vocabulary Acquisition among Migrant Women English Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahmad, Kham Sila; Armarego, Jocelyn; Sudweeks, Fay

2017-01-01

Aim/Purpose: To develop a framework for utilizing Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) to assist non-native English migrant women to acquire English vocabulary in a non-formal learning setting. Background: The women in this study migrated to Australia with varied backgrounds including voluntary or forced migration, very low to high levels of…

Language Outcomes for Children of Low-Income Families Enrolled in Auditory Verbal Therapy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hogan, Sarah; Stokes, Jacqueline; Weller, Isobel

2010-01-01

A common misconception about families in the UK who choose to participate in an Auditory Verbal (AV) approach for their child with hearing impairment, is that they are uniformly from affluent backgrounds. It is asserted that the good spoken language outcomes in these children are a product of the child's social background and family's values…

Druze Minority Students Learning Hebrew in Israel: The Relationship of Attitudes, Cultural Background, and Interest of Material to Reading Comprehension in a Second Language.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abu-Rabia, Salim

1996-01-01

Examines Israeli-Druze students' reading comprehension in Hebrew as a second language as related to their attitudes, cultural background, and interest in the material. Participants were administered questionnaires, Arab and Jewish cultural stories, and multiple-choice questions about each story. Results are discussed. (51 references) (Author/CK)

A Scoping Review of Immigrant Experience of Health Care Access Barriers in Canada.

PubMed

Kalich, Angela; Heinemann, Lyn; Ghahari, Setareh

2016-06-01

Canadian population-based surveys report comparable access to health care services between immigrant and non-immigrant populations, yet other research reports immigrant-specific access barriers. A scoping review was conducted to explore research regarding Canadian immigrants' unique experiences in accessing health care, and was guided by the research question: "What is currently known about the barriers that adult immigrants face when accessing Canadian health care services?" The findings of this study suggest that there are unmet health care access needs specific to immigrants to Canada. In reviewing research of immigrants' health care experiences, the most common access barriers were found to be language barriers, barriers to information, and cultural differences. These findings, in addition to low cultural competency reported by interviewed health care workers in the reviewed articles, indicate inequities in access to Canadian health care services for immigrant populations. Suggestions for future research and programming are discussed.

Immigrant Health in Rural Maryland: A Qualitative Study of Major Barriers to Health Care Access.

PubMed

Sangaramoorthy, Thurka; Guevara, Emilia M

2017-08-01

Immigration to rural areas in new receiving communities like Maryland's Eastern Shore is growing. Despite a rapid rise in immigration and diminishing health system resources, little attention has been focused on barriers to health care access in this region for immigrants. A total of 33 in-depth key informant interviews with providers and immigrants were conducted. Qualitative analysis employing a constant comparison approach was used to explore emergent themes related to barriers to health care access for a growing immigrant population. Participants perceived limited health care resources, lack of health insurance coverage, high health expenditures, language barriers, and non-citizenship status as barriers to immigrants' access of health care. Findings imply that immigrants living and working on the rural Eastern Shore face serious barriers to health care access. Additional work on immigrant health in rural areas and the impacts of immigration to rural health systems are needed.

Evaluation of immigration status, race and language barriers on chronic hepatitis C virus infection management and treatment outcomes.

PubMed

Giordano, Céline; Druyts, Eric F; Garber, Gary; Cooper, Curtis

2009-09-01

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence in certain Canadian immigrant populations is higher than that of the overall population. Disparities in care related to immigration status as well as to race and language are well recognized. Identifying and understanding these disparities is vital to the provision of optimal and inclusive HCV care. HCV RNA-positive patients assessed at The Ottawa Hospital Viral Hepatitis Clinic between June 2000 and June 2007 were identified using a clinical database. As measures of access to care, liver biopsy rates, treatment initiation rates, supportive care provision (i.e. erythropoietin for treatment-related anemia) and sustained virological response (SVR) rates were assessed as a function of immigration status, race and spoken language. Nine hundred and ten patients were evaluated, of which 20% were immigrants. Biopsy rates (54 vs. 51%), HCV treatment initiation (37 vs. 38%), erythropoietin prescription (13 vs. 18%) and SVR rates (52 vs. 51%) did not differ between immigrants and Canadian-born individuals. Spoken language and race did not influence access to treatment. SVR was predicted by genotype, HIV status and race. In the context of a multidisciplinary, multilingual universal health care system, by studying the influence of barriers to HCV investigation and successful therapy can be abrogated.

Barriers to Research and Capacity Building at Hispanic-Serving Institutions: The Case of HIV/AIDS Research at the University of Puerto Rico

PubMed Central

Ortiz-Torres, Blanca

2009-01-01

Substantive barriers to research, such as cultural, language, and methodological variables, exist in Hispanic-serving institutions. Historical and contextual variables account for the differences between academic settings with research-intensive centers and those with limited infrastructure for competitive research. We provide a case example to serve as a model for developing and strengthening the research infrastructure in Hispanic-serving institutions and for providing the mentorship Latino investigators may need to compete with other investigators in research-intensive centers. We present recommendations to reduce these barriers. PMID:19246676

Binational utilization and barriers to care among Mexican American border residents with diabetes.

PubMed

de Heer, Hendrik D; Salinas, Jennifer; Lapeyrouse, Lisa M; Heyman, Josiah; Morera, Osvaldo F; Balcazar, Hector G

2013-09-01

To assess whether U.S.-Mexico border residents with diabetes 1) experience greater barriers to medical care in the United States of America versus Mexico and 2) are more likely to seek care and medication in Mexico compared to border residents without diabetes. A stratified two-stage randomized cross-sectional health survey was conducted in 2009 - 2010 among 1 002 Mexican American households. Diabetes rates were high (15.4%). Of those that had diabetes, most (86%) reported comorbidities. Compared to participants without diabetes, participants with diabetes had slightly greater difficulty paying US$ 25 (P = 0.002) or US$ 100 (P = 0.016) for medical care, and experienced greater transportation and language barriers (P = 0.011 and 0.014 respectively) to care in the United States, but were more likely to have a person/place to go for medical care and receive screenings. About one quarter of participants sought care or medications in Mexico. Younger age and having lived in Mexico were associated with seeking care in Mexico, but having diabetes was not. Multiple financial barriers were independently associated with approximately threefold-increased odds of going to Mexico for medical care or medication. Language barriers were associated with seeking care in Mexico. Being confused about arrangements for medical care and the perception of not always being treated with respect by medical care providers in the United States were both associated with seeking care and medication in Mexico (odds ratios ranging from 1.70 - 2.76). Reporting modifiable barriers to medical care was common among all participants and slightly more common among 1) those with diabetes and 2) those who sought care in Mexico. However, these are statistically independent phenomena; persons with diabetes were not more likely to use services in Mexico. Each set of issues (barriers facing those with diabetes, barriers related to use of services in Mexico) may occur side by side, and both present opportunities for improving access to care and disease management.

Effectiveness of 1:1 Speech and Language Therapy for Older Children with (Developmental) Language Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ebbels, Susan H.; Wright, Lisa; Brockbank, Sally; Godfrey, Caroline; Harris, Catherine; Leniston, Hannah; Neary, Kate; Nicoll, Hilary; Nicoll, Lucy; Scott, Jackie; Maric, Nataša

2017-01-01

Background: Evidence of the effectiveness of therapy for older children with (developmental) language disorder (DLD), and particularly those with receptive language impairments, is very limited. The few existing studies have focused on particular target areas, but none has looked at a whole area of a service. Aims: To establish whether for…

Beliefs regarding the Impact of Accent within Speech-Language Pathology Practice Areas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levy, Erika S.; Crowley, Catherine J.

2012-01-01

With the demographic shifts in the United States, it is increasingly the case that speech-language pathologists (SLPs) come from different language backgrounds from those of their clients and have nonnative accents in their languages of service. An anonymous web-based survey was completed by students and clinic directors in SLP training programs…

Rhetorical Meta-Language to Promote the Development of Students' Writing Skills and Subject Matter Understanding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pelger, Susanne; Sigrell, Anders

2016-01-01

Background: Feedback is one of the most significant factors for students' development of writing skills. For feedback to be successful, however, students and teachers need a common language--a meta-language--for discussing texts. Not least because in science education such a meta-language might contribute to improve writing training and…

Markers for Persistent Specific Expressive Language Delay in 3-4-Year-Olds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Everitt, Andrea; Hannaford, Philip; Conti-Ramsden, Gina

2013-01-01

Background: Identifying 3-4-year-olds who are most at risk of persisting language difficulties, and possibly specific language impairment (SLI), is difficult due to the natural variation of language in young children. In older children, markers for SLI have been identified that differentiate between children with and without SLI. It is not known…

Towards an Integrated Second-Language Pedagogy for Foreign and Community/Heritage Languages in Multilingual Britain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Jim

2008-01-01

A key issue, which has undermined the development of community/heritage language teaching in the UK over recent decades, has been the need to define an appropriate pedagogical approach which takes account of the bilingual and bicultural background of the majority of learners studying these languages. Within the National Curriculum, community…

The Efficacy of Early Language Intervention in Mainstream School Settings: A Randomized Controlled Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fricke, Silke; Burgoyne, Kelly; Bowyer-Crane, Claudine; Kyriacou, Maria; Zosimidou, Alexandra; Maxwell, Liam; Lervåg, Arne; Snowling, Margaret J.; Hulme, Charles

2017-01-01

Background: Oral language skills are a critical foundation for literacy and more generally for educational success. The current study shows that oral language skills can be improved by providing suitable additional help to children with language difficulties in the early stages of formal education. Methods: We conducted a randomized controlled…

Clinical Impact of Wordless Picture Storybooks on Bilingual Narrative Language Production: A Comparison of the "Frog" Stories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heilmann, John J.; Rojas, Raúl; Iglesias, Aquiles; Miller, Jon F.

2016-01-01

Background: Language sampling, recognized as a gold standard for expressive language assessment, is often elicited using wordless picture storybooks. A series of wordless storybooks, commonly referred to as "Frog" stories, have been frequently used in language-based research with children from around the globe. Aims: To examine the…

High School Student Perceptions of First Language Literacy Instruction: Implications for Second Language Writing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kobayashi, Hiroe; Rinnert, Carol

2002-01-01

Investigated Japanese students' first language (L1) writing experience and instruction received in high school in order to help their university English-as-a-Second-Language writing teachers understand their needs. Analysis of interview data suggests ways teachers can draw on students' strengths in terms of their literacy background to help them…

Language Development in School-Age Girls with Fragile X Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sterling, A.; Abbeduto, L.

2012-01-01

Background: Girls with fragile X syndrome (FXS) have a wide range of cognitive and language abilities. The range of language outcomes experienced by girls with FXS, however, has been relatively unexplored. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine receptive and expressive language, with a focus on vocabulary and syntax, in a group of…

Assessing English Language Learners' Opportunity to Learn Mathematics: Issues and Limitations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abedi, Jamal; Herman, Joan

2010-01-01

Background/Context: English language learner (ELL) students are lagging behind because of the extra challenges they face relative to their peers in acquiring academic English language proficiency, and the added burden of learning content in a language in which they are not proficient. The mandated inclusion of ELL students in the nation's…

The Relationship between the Extraversion Trait and Use of the English Language Learning Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fazeli, Seyed Hossein

2012-01-01

The present study aims to find out the relationship between the Extraversion trait and use of the English Language Learning Strategies (ELLSs) for learners of English as a foreign language. Four instruments were used, which were Persian adapted Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL), a Background Questionnaire, NEO-Five Factors Inventory…

A Systematic Meta-Analytic Review of Evidence for the Effectiveness of the "Fast ForWord" Language Intervention Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strong, Gemma K.; Torgerson, Carole J.; Torgerson, David; Hulme, Charles

2011-01-01

Background: Fast ForWord is a suite of computer-based language intervention programs designed to improve children's reading and oral language skills. The programs are based on the hypothesis that oral language difficulties often arise from a rapid auditory temporal processing deficit that compromises the development of phonological…

Language Testing and the Assessment of Dementia in Second Language Settings: A Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Rosemary

1996-01-01

Reports on a patient of Japanese background with suspected dementia in an English-speaking geriatric unit. The subject was tested in Japanese using tasks such as naming, story recall, and processing by semantic category. Results demonstrate the potential contribution of information from language-based tasks in the person's preferred language to…

Maternal Communicative Behaviours and Interaction Quality as Predictors of Language Development: Findings from a Community-Based Study of Slow-to-Talk Toddlers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conway, Laura J.; Levickis, Penny A.; Smith, Jodie; Mensah, Fiona; Wake, Melissa; Reilly, Sheena

2018-01-01

Background: Identifying risk and protective factors for language development informs interventions for children with developmental language disorder (DLD). Maternal responsive and intrusive communicative behaviours are associated with language development. Mother-child interaction quality may influence how children use these behaviours in language…

The Prevalence of Autistic Spectrum Disorders in Adolescents with a History of Specific Language Impairment (SLI)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conti-Ramsden, Gina; Simkin, Zoe; Botting, Nicola

2006-01-01

Background: Traditionally, autism and specific language impairment (SLI) have been regarded as distinct disorders but, more recently, evidence has been put forward for a closer link between them: a common set of language problems, in particular receptive language difficulties and the existence of intermediate cases including pragmatic language…

Language Development, Delay and Intervention--The Views of Parents from Communities That Speech and Language Therapy Managers in England Consider to Be Under-Served

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Julie; Harding, Sam; Roulstone, Sue

2017-01-01

Background: Evidence-based practice includes research evidence, clinical expertise and stakeholder perspectives. Stakeholder perspectives are important and include parental ethno-theories, which embrace views about many aspects of speech, language and communication, language development, and interventions. The Developmental Niche Framework…

Using Principles of Learning to Inform Language Therapy Design for Children with Specific Language Impairment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alt, Mary; Meyers, Christina; Ancharski, Alexandra

2012-01-01

Background: Language treatment for children with specific language impairment (SLI) often takes months to achieve moderate results. Interventions often do not incorporate the principles that are known to affect learning in unimpaired learners. Aims: To outline some key findings about learning in typical populations and to suggest a model of how…

Mapping Practice onto Theory: The Speech and Language Practitioner's Construction of Receptive Language Impairment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Law, J.; Campbell, C.; Roulstone, S.; Adams, C.; Boyle, J.

2008-01-01

Background: Receptive language impairment (RLI) is one of the most significant indicators of negative sequelae for children with speech and language disorders. Despite this, relatively little is known about the most effective treatments for these children in the primary school period. Aims: To explore the relationship between the reported practice…