Language Barriers and the Management of Bronchiolitis in a Pediatric Emergency Department

Abstract Objectives Language barriers may influence the management of pediatric emergency department (PED) patients that may not align with evidence-based guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Our objective was to determine if a family's preferred language of Spanish versus English was associated with differences in management of bronchiolitis in the PED. Study Design We conducted a retrospective study of children ≤ 2 years old diagnosed with bronchiolitis in a PED over a seven-year period. Rates of PED testing, interventions and disposition among children whose families’ preferred language was Spanish were compared to children whose families’ preferred language was English. Primary outcomes were frequencies of chest x-ray and bronchodilator orders. Secondary outcomes were diagnostic testing, medication orders and disposition. Logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios after controlling for age, emergency severity index, prior visit and nesting within attending physicians. Results A total of 13,612 encounters were included. Spanish-speaking families were more likely to have chest x-rays (35.8% vs. 26.7%, p Conclusions Among children diagnosed with bronchiolitis, Spanish-speaking families were more likely to have chest x-rays, CBCs and blood cultures ordered compared to English-speaking families. Further research on how clinical practice guidelines and equity-focused guidelines can impact disparities in diagnostic testing within the PED is warranted.