Language Interpreters in Genetic Counseling

在美国，英语水平有限或根本没有英语能力的人越来越多地寻求医疗服务，包括遗传咨询服务。然而，代表不同少数群体的医疗专业人员的比例并没有遵循同样的趋势。据目前估计，近15%的美国人根本不会说英语或说得很好，相比之下，全国7%的遗传咨询师属于少数群体。因此，患者和遗传咨询师之间很可能存在语言障碍。为了确保患者的自主性并坚持以客户为中心的方法，沟通是遗传咨询不可或缺的一部分。这项研究旨在探讨遗传咨询师在英语水平有限或没有英语水平的人寻求口译服务时与口译员的可及性和使用情况，以及需要训练有素的口译员的频率，并确定遗传咨询中的临时口译员。在21个州或哥伦比亚特区(N=830)工作的遗传咨询师被要求完成一份关于口译员需求、可及性和利用率的问卷，以及关于他们与口译员的一般经验的其他问题。这些地方的人口密度较高，英语水平有限。收集的数据在很大程度上是描述性的，尽管也在进行统计分析，以确定自变量(口译员类型、遗传咨询师？对口译员的满意度、口译员接触的障碍、对口译员资源的了解、以前与口译员和遗传咨询师合作的培训？语言能力)和口译员的使用。

Increasingly, in the United States, persons with limited or no English proficiency are seeking medical care, including genetic counseling services. However, the proportion of medical professionals representing various minority groups has not followed the same trend. It is currently estimated that nearly 15% of the US population cannot speak English at all or very well, in contrast to 7% of genetic counselors nationwide that belong to a minority group. Thus, a language barrier between client and genetic counselor is likely to exist. In order to ensure patient autonomy as well as to remain true to a client-centered approach, communication is integral to genetic counseling. This study aims to address genetic counselors' accessibility to and utilization of interpreters when persons with limited or no English proficiency seek their services, how often trained interpreters are requested, and to identify ad hoc interpreters in genetic counseling. Genetic counselors working in 21 states or the District of Columbia (N=830), places more densely populated by persons with limited English proficiency, were asked to complete a questionnaire about the need, accessibility to and utilization of interpreters, and other questions about their general experience with interpreters. The data gathered is largely descriptive, although statistical analyses are also being performed to determine whether there are associations between independent variables (type of interpreter, genetic counselors? satisfaction with interpreters, barriers to accessibility of interpreters, knowledge of interpreter resources, previous training about working with interpreters and genetic counselors? language ability) and interpreter utilization.