SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Understanding Whether Patient Language Translates Into Disparities for Sepsis Outcomes

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This retrospective cross-sectional study examined whether limited English proficiency (LEP) was associated with inpatient mortality among adults hospitalized with sepsis at a large academic medical center in Boston from 2016–2019. Patients were identified using CDC Adult Sepsis Event criteria and included if they were admitted through the emergency department, received antibiotics within 48 hours, and had a documented language.<br /><br />Among 2,709 patients with sepsis, 327 (12.1%) had LEP. Spanish was the most common LEP language overall, but among White non-Hispanic/Latinx patients with LEP, Arabic and Russian were most common. The study found a significant interaction between race/ethnicity and language, meaning the effect of LEP on mortality differed by racial/ethnic group.<br /><br />In stratified analyses, White non-Hispanic/Latinx patients with LEP had substantially higher inpatient mortality than English-proficient (EP) White non-Hispanic/Latinx patients (30.5% vs 20.0%). After adjustment for demographics, comorbidity burden, severity of illness, insurance, year, and neighborhood deprivation, LEP White non-Hispanic/Latinx patients had 1.56 times the odds of inpatient mortality compared with EP White non-Hispanic/Latinx patients. In contrast, no mortality difference was seen among non-White patients with LEP versus EP.<br /><br />The authors conclude that LEP is associated with a major sepsis outcome disparity, especially among White non-Hispanic/Latinx patients, and that hospitals should better capture intersectional language data and evaluate interpreter access, use, and quality. Limitations include single-center design, possible language misclassification, and lack of interpreter utilization data.

Asset Subtitle

Neha Limaye

Meta Tag

Author List Allison Vise, Bridget Neville, Esteban F. Gershanik, Hallie Rozansky, Neha Limaye, Wilfredo Matias

Category Research

Concept Limited English Proficiency

Concept Inpatient Mortality

Concept Sepsis

Concept Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study

Concept Hospitalized Patients

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization Mount Sinai Hospital

Presenting Author Neha Limaye

Track Outcomes Research

Keywords

limited English proficiency

sepsis

inpatient mortality

retrospective study

cross-sectional study

race ethnicity

White non-Hispanic/Latinx

interpreter access

hospitalized adults

Boston medical center

Limited English Proficiency

Inpatient Mortality

Sepsis

Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study

Hospitalized Patients