Poster Presentations (Group II)

Meeting the emergency and response needs of diverse communities presents a unique challenge for health practitioners. This is particularly true in communities with large numbers of Spanish-speaking residents, who often confront cultural and linguistic barriers to both information and healthcare. This paper discusses the emergency-related language needs of Spanish-speaking communities, and describes the language capacity of the healthcare workforce in North Texas. The cross sectional study assessed the language capacity of healthcare providers in rural Texas, including physicians, nurses, and physician assistants. The study population included 4,454 providers. Data were collected through a mailed survey. In addition to statistical analysis, GIS mapping was conducted. Response rate was calculated at 31%. Respondents reported seeing patients with diverse cultural background, and they communicated in more than 16 different languages. Spanish was the most common language, other than English, spoken by providers, both in practice and at work. However, the study identified geographic areas in which Spanish-speaking providers would be needed during an emergency. Results indicate that additional efforts should be extended to involve Spanish-speaking providers in emergency preparedness, and in responding to potential emergency and health communication needs of Hispanic communities. Researchers conducting the study were confronted with a number of challenges, including the inaccuracy of providers’ contact information, a very large study population, and a moderately low response rate. These challenges could be overcome by partnering with professional organizations, applying research designs that reduce the sample size without losing statistical power, and providing incentives for participation.