THURS-070 - Linguistic Equity: Educating the Health Workforce on Delivery of Your Health in Your Language

Brief Abstract Summary: The future public health workforce is not effective if we do not speak the language of our constituents. In this session, we will build upon basic building blocks of education with healthcare systems and the surrounding communities. As healthcare providers, we need to teach our personnel, patients, and others about critical concepts so that they understand their health in their language. To test knowledge, we need to employ teach back. We will further delve into teach back case examples. Everything that we say and write needs to be in plain language. Just imagine if one cannot speak English, and how much harder this would be to understand public health messages or any messages at all. In this interactive session, we will review a COM-B model on Capability, Opportunity and Motivation to influence Behavior to influence delivery of health in your language.

Detailed abstract description: Across the United States, there are 68 million people who speak a language other than English. Even when we speak in English, there can be communication and misinterpretation gaps. In this session, we will get back to the basics of communicating with one another in healthcare systems, patients, and with community members especially with regard to public health messaging. Central to the patient experience is whether we convey health information in terms and language people can understand. Recognize the importance of using medical interpreters and assistive devices. Furthermore, we will utilize established principle of teach back. Case studies will be interwoven to demonstrate the importance of teachback. This interactive session will also delve into the COM-B model which emphasizes the importance of Capability, Opportunity and Motivation to influence Behavior to influence delivery of written, verbal, and signed in one's language.