Rethinking the Divide: Health information and

limited English proficiency

Sarah Jones Medical Researcher, McCarthy Tetrault

OLA Super Conference

Where we are going…

• Background and Context

• The spark!

• Identified Problems

• Strategies

Background & Context

1) Non-English speaking individuals are seeking health information

2) The information they need is not available through institutional channels

According to the 2006 Census:Just over 17% of Ontario’s population prefers to speak a language other than English

Themes• Individual Characteristics– “We prefer the doctors who can speak Mandarin.

I can’t find one because the demand is too high, but I am on the waiting list.” (from Asanin and Wilson, 2008)

• Contextual Characteristics– “California residents with limited English

proficiency show a 67% greater positive likelihood of receiving cervical cancer screening.” (Wong, 2009)

In short

• 1) Patient Education!– Empowerment through information– Regain control in an out of control situation

• 2) Information seekers!– Information behaviour varies by person– Some people avoid information

Identified Problems

• Literacies

• Translation/Interpretation

• Funding

Literacies

Are You• Language• Health

• Information• Technology

Literate?

Translation

When discussing health care issues it is important not to beat around the bush.

Because good health is like gold. Can you dig it?

Funding

Strategies

• Identify Partners

• Be the expert

• Advocate

Identify partners

• Community centres

• Transnational connections

• Family members

Be the expert

• Know what is out there

• Know what is authoritative

• Free resources

Advocate

• At work

• At conferences

Resources

• EthnoMed– http://ethnomed.org/

• 211 Toronto/ 211 Ontario• MLAnet – tutorials in English & Spanish• SPIRAL• Neuro-patient resource centre – McGill

There are new resources all the time!

Thank you very much!