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The Language Barrier In Healthcare: Quality Of Care And Health Literacy, Jacob Warren Garrett

Honors Theses

As the number of Spanish speaking immigrants coming to the United States increases, there will also be an increase in the number of LEP patients will seek medical care. In Hattiesburg, Mississippi alone there are over 7,000 people listed as Hispanic/Latino (2010 Census, U.S.gov). This research examines the experiences of LEP patients in the Hattiesburg area and focuses on three main areas: (1) if a language barrier exists for these patients when they seek care (2) if the quality of care of these patients is affected by the inability of the patient and provider to orally communicate (3) if the …