Optimizing Medical Interpretation in Pediatric Oncology Survivorship Care: Insights from Professional Spanish Interpreters

Effective communication between healthcare providers and families is crucial in pediatric oncology survivorship care, particularly for families with limited English proficiency. Professional interpreters play a vital role in facilitating this communication, yet little research has examined interpreter experiences and perspectives on how to optimize communication in this setting. This study aimed to identify factors that facilitate or hinder effective interpretation in pediatric oncology survivorship care with the goal of improving communication with families through interpreters.

We conducted in-depth interviews with eight professional Spanish medical interpreters working at an academic pediatric oncology hospital. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed. Interviews explored interpreters' perspectives on successful and unsuccessful interpretation experiences, communication challenges specific to survivorship care, and recommendations for improvement.

Interpreters identified several factors that contribute to successful communication: 1) clinician engagement with the entire family; 2) clear, jargon-free communication; 3) use of consecutive rather than simultaneous interpretation; 4) addressing parents' concerns alongside adolescent patients; 5) checking for understanding; and 6) interpreter ability to "read the room" and manage conversations. Barriers included: 1) "ivory tower" communication gaps between clinicians and families; 2) technical language without adequate explanation; 3) failure to include parents in conversations with adolescent patients; 4) time constraints; 5) remote interpretation limitations; and 6) cultural and linguistic challenges, particularly with indigenous language speakers. Interpreters described successful communication as enabling families to understand their care, feel empowered to navigate the healthcare system, and develop therapeutic relationships with providers.

Professional interpreters offer valuable insights into optimizing communication with limited English proficiency families in pediatric oncology survivorship care. Our findings suggest several key recommendations to improve communication between healthcare providers and clinicians. Implementation of these recommendations could potentially reduce health disparities and improve care quality, family understanding, and health outcomes in pediatric oncology survivorship care.