Increasing Access to Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services2022-02-10T11:25:12-08:00

Californians need access to health care that reflects their diverse cultures and languages

For California’s diverse populations, ensuring that providers can engage with their patients in a culturally and linguistically competent way is essential to meaningful access.1

Although there is currently no indicator to measure levels of access to Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS), this has been identified as an opportunity for further data development to monitor this priority area of attention.

Increasing Access to Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services

The 2009 Baseline for the percentage of patients who reported difficulty understanding their doctor at their last visit is 3.6%. We are currently at 3.6% in 2018, and hope to be at 2.5% by 2022.

More Data about Increasing Access to Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services

Baseline

3.5%

Current Rate

3.6%

Target

2.5%

Indicator Highlights

The MobileMAMA Text Program: Integrating Medical Care and Social Services for Pregnant Women in the Safety Net

MobileMAMA is a text-messaging program designed to be used by safety-net prenatal patients to provide continuous information to their medical providers about their use of social services in their community. The aim of the program is to give medical providers this text feedback to increase the effectiveness of the social service referrals made to their patients as part of prenatal care.  The innovation is expected to serve as a “proof of concept” for the potential of mobile technology to improve care coordination in public safety net health systems. Read more »

Percent of Adults Who had a Difficult Time Understanding Their Doctor During the Last Visit, Over Time

Percent of Adults Who had a Difficult Time Understanding Their Doctor During the Last Visit, by Demographic Category

Percent of Adults Who had a Difficult Time Understanding Their Doctor During the Last Visit, by County

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Indicator: Adults who had a difficult time understanding their provider

Indicator Description: Difficult Time understanding provider (self-reported) is a response to the following question: The last time you saw a doctor (within the past 12 months), did you have a hard time understanding the doctor?.

Data Limitations: Asked of California’s residential population (adults, teens, and children), administered in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. Does not include those living in group quarters or homeless persons.

Indicator Source: UCLA Center for Health Policy Research

Indicator Calculation Methodology: Percent of population reporting having a difficult time understanding their provider.

Data Collection Methodology: Statewide telephone survey using a geographically stratified sample design. Estimates are weighted to Dept. of Finance demographic data (adjusted for group quarters population). More information is available at http://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/chis/design/Pages/overview.aspx

Program URL Link: http://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/chis/Pages/default.aspx

1. Let’s Get Healthy California Task Force. (December 2012). Lets Get Healthy California Task Force Final Report.

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