# Understanding language barriers within patient portals: workarounds and opportunities for Spanish-speaking caregivers

## TL;DR

Spanish-speaking caregivers face challenges using patient portals due to translation barriers and rely on workarounds that can be risky and inequitable.

## Contribution

The study identifies caregivers' reliance on machine translation and family members, highlighting the need for better integrated translation solutions in patient portals.

## Key findings

- Caregivers use online machine translation tools, which are often inaccurate and time-consuming.
- Caregivers depend on children and family members for translation, which can lead to comprehension issues.
- There is a strong interest in timely and accurate translation features within patient portals to improve accessibility.

## Abstract

To explore how Spanish-speaking caregivers navigate translation barriers in patient portals and to assess their perspectives on improving language accessibility.

This qualitative study was conducted at a pediatric academic health system. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with Spanish-speaking caregivers of children with chronic conditions, and inductive thematic analysis was used to generate themes.

Twenty caregivers participated. Three key themes emerged: (1) Caregivers rely on online machine translation tools, which can be inaccurate and time-consuming; (2) Caregivers frequently depend on children and family members for translation, raising concerns about comprehension and appropriateness; (3) Caregivers expressed strong interest in timely and accurate translation features within patient portals to enhance accessibility.

Spanish-speaking caregivers develop workarounds to access medical information, but these strategies pose risks to patient safety and exacerbate digital health inequities. While AI-powered machine translation offers a potential solution, concerns about accuracy, regulatory compliance, and equitable implementation must be addressed.

Spanish-speaking caregivers face significant challenges in accessing health information through patient portals. Health systems should prioritize integrated translation solutions, leveraging AI-driven tools while ensuring accuracy and equitable implementation to improve language accessibility.