Language access barriers in behavioral health service access and continuity for Spanish-speaking adults: a multi-setting qualitative health services study
Qualitative study identifies language access barriers affecting care continuity for Spanish-speaking adults, suggesting system-level improvements.
Key Points
The study aims to identify and describe language access barriers faced by Spanish-speaking adults in behavioral health services.
Multi-setting qualitative health services study conducted in San Bernardino County, California.
Eighteen behavioral health stakeholders from six organizations participated in semi-structured interviews.
Qualitative descriptive content analysis of interviews focusing on various aspects of language access in care settings.
Seven recurrent categories of language access barriers identified: interpreter availability, navigation, staffing, scheduling, technology, community partnerships, and stigma.
Participants reported issues like delayed interpreter access and fragmented referral processes.
Barriers varied more by service setting rather than by professional role, with distinct challenges in hospital-based vs. community-based settings.
Cite This Study
Alexandra Lopez Vera (2026) studied this question.