P3.191: Trends in Pediatric Health Systems Utilization by Patients Preferring Languages Other than English

Background: Patients and families who prefer languages other than English (LOE) are associated with poor health systems access and health outcomes. Understanding health systems utilization trends by LOE patients may be important in determining language service allocation. No recent publication has investigated this trend in pediatric patients and families who prefer LOE, nor specifically categorized this trend by department type. Our study aims to 1) quantify and trend the prevalence of LOE patient visits at a free-standing tertiary children’s hospital within a 10 year-period, and 2) quantify and trend LOE patient visits by hospital department type.

Methods: This cross-sectional study investigated the trend in prevalence of LOE patient visits at a free-standing tertiary children’s hospital in a large metropolitan city from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2023. The study included any inpatient and ambulatory visits at the hospital, but not satellite sites, by patients who preferred LOE as indicated in their medical records. Patients who preferred English or did not indicate a language preference were excluded. Each patient medical record number was counted once per visit, allowing the capture of multiple visits by one patient. Primary outcomes were the total number and annual prevalences of LOE visits during the study period. Secondary outcomes were total LOE visits categorized by hospital department types (Outpatient, Inpatient, Emergency Department (ED), Imaging, Procedural, and Other). Descriptive statistical analysis was used for the sample.

Results: There was a total of 1,787,271 unique LOE patient visits. The number of total unique LOE visits increased by 66.5%, from 123,740 visits in 2013 to 206,005 visits in 2023. The prevalence of LOE population remained steady over the study period (mean 11.8%, SD0.74) (Figure 1). The largest growth in total number of LOE visits was seen in the outpatient setting, which showed a 118.8% increase from 2013 to 2023 (Figure 2). There were also decreases in inpatient visits by 45.4% and ED visits by 30.4%.

Conclusion: While the number of total LOE visits at single children’s hospital increased over 10 years, the prevalence of LOE patient visits remained steady. There was a marked increase in the total outpatient LOE visits, and decrease in inpatient and ED visits by LOE patients. Health systems should consider increasing language resources to locations with more utilization by LOE patients and families.