Interpreters as Advocates for Hypertensive Patients

Interpreters as Advocates for Hispanic Patients With Hypertension

The purpose of the study is to determine if medical interpreters trained to advocate on behalf of their patients deliver improved care compared to standard medical interpreters

Study Overview

• Status: Terminated
• Conditions: Hypertension
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Professional Medical Interpreter

Detailed Description

Over 21 million Americans have limited English proficiency. About two-thirds of these individuals speak Spanish. Limited English proficiency has major adverse impacts on health and health care. Using trained medical interpreters may help overcome this language barrier. Compared to patients who need but don't get an interpreter, patients who use trained medical interpreters have better satisfaction, quality of care, and health outcomes. However, the outcomes of patients using interpreters is often poorer than that of English-speaking patients. This randomized controlled trial will test the utility of using interpreters as advocates for Spanish-speaking inner city patients with hypertension.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 38
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Spanish speaking
• Limited English proficiency
• Uncontrolled hypertension
• Regular visit with primary care provider who is not proficient in Spanish

Exclusion Criteria:

-

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Triple

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Interpreter; Professional Spanish interpreter	Behavioral: Professional Medical Interpreter; A professional medical interpreter accompanies patient to each appointment.
No Intervention: Usual Care; Usual care provided to patients

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Patient reported satisfaction with the clinical encounter with their clinician	Patients will rate their satisfaction with the clinical encounter with their clinician y responding to several questions about the encounter using a 5-point Likert scale.	6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Provider reported satisfaction with the clinical encounter with the patient	Providers will rate their satisfaction with the clinical encounter with the patient by responding to several questions about the encounter using a 5-point Likert scale.	6 months
Change in systolic and diastolic blood pressure	Net change in systolic and diastolic blood pressure	6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Case Western Reserve University
• Collaborators: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 1, 2010
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 1, 2012
• Study Completion (Actual): January 1, 2014

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 31, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 20, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): February 1, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 1, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 20, 2022
• Last Verified: January 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Hypertension; Spanish
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Cardiovascular Diseases; Vascular Diseases; Hypertension
• Other Study ID Numbers: P60MD002265DT2; 5P60MD002265-03 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)