Somewhat to the side of medical translation and interpretation, but interesting nonetheless: here’s a summary of a study on how words commonly used in English to describe disasters might be heard differently by immigrants from other cultures. In Losing cultural … Continue reading →
Here’s a look at how the face of immigration to Minnesota has changed since 1990, courtesy of the StarTribune newspaper. The long and short of it: 30 years ago the preponderance of immigrants arrived from Southeast Asia,with significant numbers of … Continue reading →
Learn how to better deliver culturally appropriate maternal care in this free, online class offered by Think Cultural Health, a division of the US Department of Health and Human Services. The 2-hour e-learning program is for providers and students looking … Continue reading →
Looking to boost your ongoing COVID information campaigns? Take a look at this repository offered by the Minnesota Department of Health. In addition to Stay Safe Minnesota logos, social media content and newspaper ads, you’ll find health education materials translated … Continue reading →
Want to get your COVID-related messaging out as effectively as possible? Here’s a toolkit from the Ad Council and COVID Collaborative that features downloadable graphics, plus messaging recommendations, do’s and don’ts, and tips about language and tone. The non-profit Ad … Continue reading →
For Black patients who need convincing that it’s a good, safe move to get a COVID-19 vaccination, here’s a video from the Black Physicians Network of Columbus, Ohio that makes the case. Dozens of Ohio Black physicians in this short … Continue reading →
Not all translation depends on words, as is made clear by a New York Times obit for graphic designer and artist Rajie Cook. In 1974, Cook’s design firm was hired by the US Department of Transportation as it prepared for … Continue reading →
Among President Joe Biden’s first actions in office was to bump up the number of refugees that will be allowed entry into the United States. In a series of executive orders, he laid the groundwork to increase the ceiling to … Continue reading →
Here’s another source of resources and training for public health professionals working with refugee, immigrant, and migrant (RIM) communities that have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19. The National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants, and Migrants — housed at the University of Minnesota … Continue reading →
It’s not the easiest collection of COVID-19 education materials to navigate, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has posted a mini-library of useful, downloadable posters and flyers in multiple languages, all available here. You’ll have to do some … Continue reading →
For proof that subtle messaging can arrive in the most unlikely packages, consider this Doritos ad broadcast by the corn chip producer for the Mexican Christmas market. In it, a young man returning home for the holidays from his university … Continue reading →
Here’s a way to communicate with young people of color on why it’s important to wear a mask to slow the spread of COVID-19. This short video, created by Briva Health with help from the Minnesota Department of Health, shows … Continue reading →
Here’s another effect of the COVID pandemic — a reluctance among the ailing to get checked out when experiencing symptoms of serious health problems such as stroke and heart attack. This series of translated videos by the Minnesota Department of … Continue reading →
Wondering how to get information about the COVID-19 vaccine to patients and clients? Check out this free webinar, COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution: Supply and Logistics Messaging, on Tuesday, January 12, noon to 1 pm. Public health and media experts will answer your questions on most … Continue reading →
Looking for ways to improve communication with patients and clients? Take a look at the latest edition of In the Know, the online publication of the Minnesota Health Literacy Partnership. The newsletter is packed with information on: How to simplify … Continue reading →
Seemingly overnight, the COVID era also became the age of the Zoom meeting. But how does that work out for the deaf and hard of hearing? The answer has been, Not very well. For example, you might start out with … Continue reading →
Looking for simple, brief explanations of COVID-19 related concerns in multiple languages? Here are translations provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that could be useful for both patients and interpreters alike. COVID-19 Everyday Prevention Actions English: Audio | Transcript Spanish: Audio … Continue reading →
What does the Biden presidency mean for US immigration policy? Here’s a quick overview from the online media service, Axios. In Biden’s Day One Challenges: The Immigration Reset, the authors observe that among the new president’s first acts will be … Continue reading →
Struggling to explain COVID contact tracing to patients and clients with limited English? Here’s are translated videos from the Minnesota Department of Health that explain in simple language what contact tracing is and why it’s important to cooperate with interviewers … Continue reading →
We’ve said it previously here, but it bears repeating. If you’re on the hunt for helpful, concise COVID-related videos in translation, a good first stop is this Minnesota Department of Health compilation. You’ll find numerous videos in these categories: … Continue reading →
If you thought interpreting was already a fraught exercise, here’s another wrinkle to consider. How to do effective interpreting during sessions intended to test cognitive functioning in children? The American Translators Association takes on this issue in an article, Cognitive … Continue reading →
Here’s a series of short videos from Twin Cities Public Television in which people of color explain their experiences with COVID-19 within their family. It’s a close, personal look at the effects of the disease. Find the videos here: Spanish … Continue reading →
In case you figured that squalid refugee camps were solely a feature of the undeveloped world, consider this account, Inside the Refugee Camp on America’s Doorstep, from the New York Times. The filth-ridden camp near Brownsville, TX holds would-be refugees … Continue reading →
Can Quebec’s cola wars offer a lesson for health care providers aspiring to connect with local audiences? Here’s an intriguing example of how speaking the right language — both culturally and orally — can reap huge results. The case study … Continue reading →
Here’s an analysis from the New York Times that explains yet another reason why Black patients sometimes fail to get the treatment they need. In Why a Hospital May Shun A Black Patient, University of Pennsylvania health policy professors Amol S. … Continue reading →
More tough times for would-be refugees ahead, as the Trump administration sets an all-time low limit on allowing those fleeing persecution in their home countries to enter the United States. Here’s an analysis from the Washington Post: “The Trump administration … Continue reading →
COVID-19 got you down? Here’s a short video from #WeWeartheMask and the Minnesota Department of Health on accessorizing with a fashion-foward mask. … Continue reading →
Here’s the best first stop when you’re looking for translated COVID-19 health education materials in languages most commonly spoken in Minnesota. Check out this Minnesota Department of Health web page that features a wide range of relevant video and print … Continue reading →
Take a look at this music video from the Hamilton Mixtape, inspired by the Lin-Manuel Miranda musical, Hamilton. It’s a post-Labor Day salute to the risks and back-breaking work performed by immigrants to the US. For more information about the … Continue reading →
Wondering if there’s any conceivable upside to the pandemic? Check out this free webinar, What Can We Learn from Crisis? Leadership, Post-Traumatic Growth ad COVID-19. It’s set for 2 pm, Thur., Sept. 24. Register here. Speakers Joe Parks, Medical Director … Continue reading →
Get a quick rundown on COVID-19 symptoms and advice on what to do next from the Minnesota Department of Health in the following languages here: What to do if you have COVID-19 in Amharic (PDF) What to do if you … Continue reading →
The MInnesota Department of Health recently released a fascinating set of safety recommendations for the multi-day Hmong funerals that often draw a throng of participants from around the country. Along with the typical injunctions — wear a mask, wash your … Continue reading →
Here’s a step both you and your clients can take to prepare for coronavirus infection that leaves you unable to care for your children. Draw up a written plan now that identifies possible caregivers and gathers vital family and child … Continue reading →
A recent story in the StarTribune, People of color hit harder by COVID-19 in Twin Cities, ZIP code data confirm, describes another aspect of the bulging healthcare disparities file: Black and Hispanic Minnesotans make up five and six percent of … Continue reading →
Looking for an insider’s view on immigrant and refugee life in Minnesota? Check out Sahan Journal, an independent non-profit that aims to “chronicle the struggles, successes and transformations of Minnesota’s new Americans, whose stories are often overlooked by traditional news … Continue reading →
In case you needed one more COVID-19 related worry, here’s a consideration from Wired magazine. What about the information needs of the millions of people worldwide who speak languages such as Kodava, Marathi, Oshie, Aghem or thousands of others — … Continue reading →
After filing a Freedom of Information Act request for COVID-19-related data from the Centers for Disease Control, the New York Times received files on 1.5 million cases, which gave it the basis for a shocking analysis on the disparate rates … Continue reading →
The COVID pandemic has revealed, again, the tremendous racially-based disparities in US health outcomes, with death rates among black and latinx populations much higher than those for whites. Here’s a thought-provoking piece from the New York Times, “Many Medical Decision … Continue reading →
Get the low down on best practices for mask use from this short video provided by the Minnesota Department of Health. It’s available in ASL, Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Hmong, Karen, Lao, Oromo, Russian, Somali, Spanish and Vietnamese with YouTube links … Continue reading →
Among the changes driven by the COVID-19 pandemic is the sudden increased reliance on telemedicine. In the article Telehealth Wasn’t Designed for Non-English Speakers, the online news organization The Verge considers the effect on patients who struggle with English. Here’s … Continue reading →
Here’s an interesting COVID infection control animation from Sanford Medicine that tells patients and caretakers what they need to know without the use of words. Well worth a look for both the information conveyed, and for alternate methods of presenting … Continue reading →
History doesn’t necessarily repeat itself, but it often rhymes, observes the crew at Open Culture in recounting Japanese efforts during the Spanish flu epidemic to quell the disease. The article on the Open Culture website — Japanese Health Manual Created During … Continue reading →
Find a variety of COVID-19 related posters appropriate for health care settings at this Minnesota Department of Health website. Available in English, Amharic, Hmong, Oromo, Russian, Somali and Spanish, these pieces describe the idea of flattening the curve of infection, … Continue reading →
Here’s an extensive directory of COVID-19 translated fact sheets, flyers, posters, audio recordings, videos and more, all available for download here. Compiled by the Washington Department of Social and Health Services, these resources appear in 73 languages including English. The … Continue reading →
Do patients know what you’re talking about? Especially now, in the scramble to deal with the coronavirus crisis, language access issues can expose patients, interpreters and the broader public to increased risk, according to an analysis in US News and … Continue reading →
Do you have limited-English patients who want answers about the City of Saint Paul’s response to the coronavirus pandemic? A new phone line at 651-266-6000 is staffed with interpreters available to answer questions in Hmong, Karen, Oromo, Somali and Spanish. … Continue reading →
Among the dislocations of the COVID-19 pandemic is the effect on health system interpreters, who are discovering new complexities in the already fraught world of medical interpretation. As revealed in the New York Times story, When Coronavirus Care Gets Lost … Continue reading →
The Seattle-based nonprofit, Vital Talk, specializes in building communication skills for healthcare professionals. With the COVID outbreak, it recognized a vast new sector of work. “We’re facing conversations that we never expected — or wanted — to have,” the group … Continue reading →
Get the low down on non-verbal communication in the United Arab Emirates with this demonstration of six hand moves that pack in a lot of information. Confused, threatened, threatening and more — you can get it all across with these … Continue reading →
Here’s another batch of translated COVID-19 material, this time with information vetted by Harvard Medical School faculty and physicians. Available in English and 39 additional languages, the pieces include: COVID-19 Prevention About COVID-19 Managing COVID-19 COVID-19 and Pregnancy COVID-19 for … Continue reading →