Families USA Producing Great Materials for Consumers about Health Care: Choices & Their Rights Translating Materials Isabel van Isschot Director of Interpreter Services La Clínica del Pueblo th Street, NW Washington, DC Saturday, Jan. 28, 32006

Translation, interpreting -what is the difference? Translation is written, whereas interpreting is spoken - Two different professions

Translating Materials is Challenging: Original meaning may not always transcend cultural and language differences May not be relevant to the target audience Translators are confined to what has been written for the original audience Source materials are sometimes not well written

Facts - In Health Care System Little data collected about patient primary language and ethnicity Federal and state laws may require health care providers to translate vital documents Most consumer materials are not design to target minorities Not all patient information is translated No budget

Facts - In Health Care System Bilingual personnel and/or interpreters are often asked to translate materials. Translation software is used Translated written materials are often of poor quality. Translated materials are not useful or effective Misguided standards –such as using back to English translation to check quality

Practical Advice Centralize your foreign language materials Find out how they were translated Centralize responsibility Identify professional translators, companies, including community organizations Prepare instructions for translators Develop policies and procedures for non- English materials or translation (Title VI) Include translation in your budget

Additional Resources: Hablamos Juntos - A project funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ATA – American Translators Association