TY - JOUR
T1 - Language Disparity Predicts Poor Patient-Reported Outcome and Follow-Up in Microsurgical Breast Reconstruction
AU - Wang, Fei
AU - Rothchild, Evan
AU - Lu, Yi Hsueh
AU - Ricci, Joseph A.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023. Thieme. All rights reserved. Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Background: Patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) have starkly different health care experiences compared with their English-proficient counterparts. The authors aim to examine the link between LEP and postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing microsurgical breast reconstruction. Methods: A retrospective review of all patients who underwent abdominal-based microsurgical breast reconstruction at our institution between 2009 and 2019 was performed. Variables collected included patient demographics, language status, interpreter usage, perioperative complications, follow-up visits, and self-reported outcomes (Breast-Q). Pearson's χ 2 test, Student's t -test, odds ratio analysis, and regression modeling were used for analysis. Results: A total of 405 patients were included. LEP patients comprised 22.22% of the overall cohort with 80% of LEP patients utilizing interpreter services. LEP patients reported significantly lower satisfaction with an abdominal appearance at the 6-month follow-up and lower physical and sexual well-being scores at the 1-year follow-up (p = 0.05, 0.02, 0.01, respectively). Non-LEP patients had significantly longer operative times (539.6 vs. 499.3 minutes, p = 0.024), were more likely to have postoperative donor site revisions (p = 0.05), and more likely to receive preoperative neuraxial anesthesia (p = 0.01). After adjusting for confounders, LEP stats was associated with 0.93 fewer follow-up visits (p = 0.02). Interestingly, compared with LEP patients who did not receive interpreter services, LEP patients who did had 1.98 more follow-up visits (p = 0.02). There were no significant differences in emergency room visits or complications between the cohorts. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that language disparities exist within microsurgical breast reconstruction and underscore the importance of effective, language-conscious communication between surgeon and patient.
AB - Background: Patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) have starkly different health care experiences compared with their English-proficient counterparts. The authors aim to examine the link between LEP and postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing microsurgical breast reconstruction. Methods: A retrospective review of all patients who underwent abdominal-based microsurgical breast reconstruction at our institution between 2009 and 2019 was performed. Variables collected included patient demographics, language status, interpreter usage, perioperative complications, follow-up visits, and self-reported outcomes (Breast-Q). Pearson's χ 2 test, Student's t -test, odds ratio analysis, and regression modeling were used for analysis. Results: A total of 405 patients were included. LEP patients comprised 22.22% of the overall cohort with 80% of LEP patients utilizing interpreter services. LEP patients reported significantly lower satisfaction with an abdominal appearance at the 6-month follow-up and lower physical and sexual well-being scores at the 1-year follow-up (p = 0.05, 0.02, 0.01, respectively). Non-LEP patients had significantly longer operative times (539.6 vs. 499.3 minutes, p = 0.024), were more likely to have postoperative donor site revisions (p = 0.05), and more likely to receive preoperative neuraxial anesthesia (p = 0.01). After adjusting for confounders, LEP stats was associated with 0.93 fewer follow-up visits (p = 0.02). Interestingly, compared with LEP patients who did not receive interpreter services, LEP patients who did had 1.98 more follow-up visits (p = 0.02). There were no significant differences in emergency room visits or complications between the cohorts. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that language disparities exist within microsurgical breast reconstruction and underscore the importance of effective, language-conscious communication between surgeon and patient.
KW - Interpreters
KW - limited English proficiency
KW - microsurgical breast reconstruction
KW - patient-reported outcomes
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U2 - 10.1055/a-2040-1750
DO - 10.1055/a-2040-1750
M3 - Article
C2 - 36809784
AN - SCOPUS:85161061493
SN - 0743-684X
JO - Journal of reconstructive microsurgery
JF - Journal of reconstructive microsurgery
ER -