Relationship between self-assessed and tested non-english-language proficiency among primary care providers Journal Article
| Authors: | Diamond, L.; Chung, S.; Ferguson, W.; Gonzalez, J.; Jacobs, E. A.; Gany, F. |
| Article Title: | Relationship between self-assessed and tested non-english-language proficiency among primary care providers |
| Abstract: | BACKGROUND:: Individuals with limited English proficiency experience poor patient-clinician communication. Most studies of language concordance have not measured clinician non-English-language proficiency. OBJECTIVES:: To evaluate the accuracy of the self-assessment of non-English-language proficiency by clinicians compared with an oral proficiency interview. SUBJECTS:: Primary care providers (PCPs) in California and Massachusetts. MEASURES:: PCPs first completed a self-assessment of non-English-language proficiency using a version of the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) Scale, followed by the Clinician Cultural and Linguistic Assessment (CCLA), a validated oral proficiency interview. We used nonparametric approaches to analyze CCLA scores at each ILR scale level and the correlation between CCLA and ILR scale scores. RESULTS:: Sixteen PCPs in California and 51 in Massachusetts participated (n=67). Participants spoke Spanish (79%), followed by Cantonese, Mandarin, French, Portuguese, and Vietnamese. The respondents self-assessed as having "excellent" proficiency 9% of the time, "very good" proficiency 24% of the time, "good" proficiency 46% of the time, "fair" proficiency 18% of the time, and "poor" proficiency 3% of the time. The average CCLA score was 76/100. There was a positive correlation between self-reported ILR scale and CCLA score (σ=0.49, P<0.001). The variance in CCLA scores was wider in the middle categories than in the low or high ILR categories (P=0.003). CONCLUSIONS:: Self-assessment of non-English-language proficiency using the ILR correlates to tested language proficiency, particularly on the low and high ends of the scale. Participants who self-assess in the middle of the scale may require additional testing. Further research needs to be conducted to identify the characteristics of PCP whose self-assessments are inaccurate and, thus, require proficiency testing. © 2014 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. |
| Journal Title: | Medical Care |
| Volume: | 52 |
| Issue: | 5 |
| ISSN: | 0025-7079 |
| Publisher: | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins |
| Date Published: | 2014-05-01 |
| Start Page: | 435 |
| End Page: | 438 |
| Language: | English |
| DOI: | 10.1097/mlr.0000000000000102 |
| PROVIDER: | scopus |
| PMCID: | PMC3981942 |
| PUBMED: | 24556893 |
| DOI/URL: | |
| Notes: | Export Date: 1 May 2014 -- CODEN: MDLCB -- Source: Scopus |
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