Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Date of Graduation
Spring 2016
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science (BS)
Department
Department of Health Sciences
Advisor(s)
Erika Collazo-Vargas
Andrew Peachey
Erika Kancler
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate how the Spanish language and culture affects treatment, access to healthcare and perceptions of medical visits within the Hispanic population. This was examined through the viewpoint of medical Spanish interpreters in the Harrisonburg community. Quantitative data served to provide descriptive statistics regarding these interpreters, while qualitative data was used to gather data about themes and subthemes that were developed regarding this topic. Language was found to not be a significant barrier, but culture did have a significant affect. It was found that these barriers affected access to care because of lack of information, education levels and insurance. Hispanic patients usually go to medical clinics for emergencies, which was related to lack of information about the medical system in the United States. Interpreters were available for patients to use and easy to access, and it was perceived that interpretation plays an important role in the healthcare of the Hispanic population.
Recommended Citation
Kraska, Sarah J., "Examination of the effects of language and cultural barriers on Spanish-speaking patients in health settings as observed by medical Spanish interpreters" (2016). Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019. 185.
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/honors201019/185
