¿Se Habla Español?

According to Census 2000, more than one in eight people in the United States is of Hispanic origin. In Minnesota, Hispanics make up only about 3 percent of the overall population, but their number is growing.

In fact, between 1990 and 2000, the state's Hispanic population grew 166 percent. This was the ninth-fastest growth rate in the U.S. Currently, between 7 and 8 percent of the population in Minneapolis and St. Paul is of Hispanic origin. And in Willmar, it's nearly 16 percent.

Barriers to Care

Medical providers are seeing more patients whose native language is Spanish. And while many Spanish-speaking patients also speak and understand English well, many do not. This can make medical visits awkward for both practitioners and patients. Misunderstandings can lead to incorrect diagnoses, faulty treatment and even life-threatening situations.

As a volunteer English-language tutor, María Emilce López often heard her students talk about times when they were sick but hesitated to seek medical care because they didn't speak English or found the healthcare system confusing.

"Dealing with the healthcare system can be a challenging experience for anyone," says López, a native of Argentina. "But it's even more challenging when you don't speak the language or understand mainstream culture."

Medical Spanish

López, a teaching specialist in Spanish and Portuguese at the University of Minnesota, decided to develop a course in medical Spanish to help healthcare workers communicate more effectively with their Spanish-speaking patients. The course is aimed at providers who have mastered basic Spanish, but want to learn how to use medical vocabulary, interview patients, take medical histories, and conduct physical exams in the language.

To develop the curriculum, López videotaped exchanges between Latin American providers and their patients. She also did extensive interviews with U.S.-born medical professionals and Spanish-speaking immigrants.

In addition, López worked with the U's College of Continuing Education to develop a set of CD-ROMs that students could use at home to enhance the instruction they receive in class.

Cultural Knowledge

Response from students has been positive. "I studied Spanish in high school and college, and I talk with our Spanish-speaking members on a regular basis. But there's a difference between conversational and medical Spanish," says Tica Hanson, a nurse and outpatient case manager for HealthPartners.

Hanson says that she particularly appreciates the information she learned about health beliefs, cultural traditions and folk medicine. For example, she notes, "Many patients try folk remedies first. I learned to ask about what they've already tried and to be respectful of home remedies."

CEUs and CMEs

Students who take medical Spanish can receive Continuing Education and Continuing Medical Education units from the U of M. The course can also be used to meet continuing education requirements of the Minnesota Board of Nursing. And students in the U of M Medical School have requested that the course be offered for credit.

López hopes that medical spanish will serve as a model for similar programs for providers who work with other cultural groups, such as Hmong and Somali.

Learn More

For information about medical Spanish, call 612-625-2088.