ARTICLE Pediatricians ’ Use of Language Services for Families With Limited English Proficiency

The authors have indicated they have no financial relationships relevant to this article to disclose. OBJECTIVES. Patients with limited English proficiency confront multiple barriers to health care access in the United States. Appropriate language services for families with limited English proficiency are essential; however, little is known about pediatricians ’ use of language services. The objective of this study was to examine pediatricians ’ provision of language services to patients with limited English pro-ficiency and the pediatrician, practice, and state characteristics associated with use of these services. METHODS.Data were obtained from the Periodic Survey of Fellows No. 60, a nation-ally representative survey of members of the American Academy of Pediatrics. A total of 1829 surveys were mailed, and responses were obtained from 58%. Use of 6 language services was assessed. Factors associated with language services use were examined after adjusting for physician, practice, and state characteristics. RESULTS.Bilingual family members (70%) and bilingual staff (58%) were the mos