Few Pharmacies Can Translate Prescription Labels Into Spanish
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Stacy Cooper Bailey |
Surprisingly few pharmacies in the U.S. are able to translate prescription medication instructions into Spanish, making it difficult for patients who speak only Spanish to understand how to take their medications properly, according to a new study from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
The first multi-state study investigating the ability of pharmacies to translate prescription labels found more than half of the pharmacies were unable to translate any labels or could do only a limited number of translations. The study looked at pharmacies in states with a large existing Latino population (Texas and Colorado) and in states with a rapid growth in Latino population (Georgia and North Carolina). These states—because of their large Latino populations—are likely to have the greatest demand and capability for translation. Other states may be further behind, researchers said.
“The lack of translation for prescription medication instructions is a major problem,” said lead author Stacy Cooper Bailey, MPH, clinical research associate and director of the Health Literacy and Learning Program at Northwestern’s Feinberg School. “If you don’t know how to take your medications correctly, it is going to be difficult for you to manage your medical condition. Taking medications incorrectly could cause serious problems or even death.”
The study will appear in the June issue of the journal Medical Care.