Language Concordance and COVID Contact Tracing Outcomes in a Latinx Community
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This is an abstract. The full journal study is available to read via the link in the source information below.
Background
Effective communication is essential to executing a robust public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Language concordance, defined as clinician or public health worker fluency in a patient's primary language, is an important factor in clinical practice and public health.
Methods
We evaluated the impact of language concordance -- clinician or public health worker fluency in a patient's primary language -- on COVID-19 contact tracing outcomes among 2,668 Spanish-speaking adults in San Francisco.
Results
Language concordance was associated with 20% greater odds of COVID-19 testing and 53% greater odds of support service referrals.
Conclusions
Language-concordant contact tracing was associated with greater likelihood that Spanish-speaking contacts completed COVID-19 testing and received referrals for isolation and quarantine support services, both of which are critical to prevent onward COVID-19 transmission. These findings highlight the importance of language concordance in the ongoing COVID-19 public health response.
Read an interview about the study here.
The full text of this study can be accessed via the source information below.
Primary Source
Open Forum Infectious Diseases
Source Reference: