Language Ability: A Neglected Dimension in the Profiling of Populations and Health Service Users

Autor/in	Aspinall, Peter J.
Titel	Language Ability: A Neglected Dimension in the Profiling of Populations and Health Service Users
Quelle	In: Health Education Journal, 66 (2007) 1, S.90-106 (17 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0017-8969
DOI	10.1177/0017896907073797
Schlagwörter	Health Services; Foreign Countries; Language Aptitude; Immigrants; Information Services; Resource Allocation; Telecommunications; English (Second Language); Non English Speaking; Translation; Surveys; Census Figures; United Kingdom + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Health service; Gesundheitsdienst; Gesundheitswesen; Ausland; Sprachbegabung; Spracheignung; Immigrant; Immigrantin; Immigranten; Informationstätigkeit; Ressourcenallokation; Telekommunikationstechnik; English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Survey; Umfrage; Befragung; Volkszählung; Großbritannien
Abstract	Britain is becoming an increasingly diverse society in ethnic, cultural, and linguistic terms. Race equality as a matter of governance has gained momentum through legal developments and prioritization in policies. However, ethnic inequalities in health and healthcare are marked and persistent and language has been identified as a key barrier to accessing services and effective communication. There is, for example, currently substantial under use of NHS Direct, England's telephonic health and information service, by non English-speaking callers. It is surprising, therefore, that there are no official sources of comprehensive information for the UK population on main spoken languages and competency in English. While such questions are routinely asked in national population censuses in the USA and Old Commonwealth countries, in the UK these are conspicuously absent from the decennial censuses, most of the major Government social surveys, nearly all NHS core datasets, and ethnic monitoring in primary care. The NHS Resource Allocation Weighted Capitation Formula now uses data on language difficulty 10-15 years out of date. The upcoming 2011 Census offers an important opportunity for NHS organizations to secure the comprehensive national and small area data required to establish the need for language support services, including bilingual support and interpreting and translation provision. (Contains 2 tables and 1 figure.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10