Highlights
- •This study examined indicators of quality rehabilitation services for individuals with LEP.
- •Thirty experts reached consensus on important indicators and their feasibility.
- •Results can be used to guide policies, practices, and assessments.
- •Results inform guidelines for quality rehabilitation services for individuals with LEP.
Abstract
Objective
To obtain expert consensus on indicators of quality rehabilitation services for individuals
with limited English proficiency (LEP).
Design
Three-round Delphi study.
Setting
Delphi survey conducted online with 30 experts. Most experts worked in adult physical
rehabilitation settings and were from Illinois (n=16), and the remaining participants
were from 8 other US states or Canadian provinces.
Participants
Experts (N=30) had a minimum of 2 publications on health care services for patients
with LEP and/or a minimum of 5 years clinical experience in physical rehabilitation.
Of 43 experts (11 researchers, 32 clinicians) who received the round 1 survey by e-mail,
30 returned complete responses (70% response rate). Of those, 25 completed round 2
and 24 completed round 3. Of round 1 participants, most (n =21) identified their primary
professional activity as clinical, whereas the others worked in research (n =5) or
education (n =4). Twenty-four were women. The median age was 43 years (range, 27-67y).
Disciplines included occupational therapy (n =14), physical therapy (n =13), psychology
(n=1), nursing (n=1), and medicine (n=1).
Interventions
Not applicable.
Main Outcome Measures
Indicators were rated on a 7-point Likert scale for importance and feasibility. Interquartile
range (IQR) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for importance and feasibility
ratings. Indicators with an IQR <2 and a median importance score ≥6 were accepted
as reaching consensus for importance.
Results
Round 1 responses were categorized into 15 structural, 13 process, and 18 outcome
indicators. All 15 structural indicators reached consensus for importance; 8 were
rated as feasible. All 13 process indicators reached consensus, of which 8 were deemed
feasible. Sixteen outcome indicators reached consensus, of which 7 were deemed feasible.
Conclusions
This Delphi study identified structural, process, and outcome indicators that can
inform delivery and assessment of quality rehabilitation services for individuals
with LEP. Future research should operationalize and measure these quality indicators
in clinical practice.
Keywords
List of abbreviations:
EHR (electronic health record), IQR (interquartile range), LEP (limited English proficiency), US (United States)To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: May 27, 2021
Accepted:
April 16,
2021
Received in revised form:
April 9,
2021
Received:
January 24,
2021
Footnotes
Presented to the American Occupational Therapy Association, April 4-7, 2019, New Orleans, LA; the Health Equity Research Seminar at Midwestern University, November 13, 2020, webinar.
Supported by the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Applied Health Sciences Interdisciplinary Pilot Grant Award.
Disclosures: none.
Identification
Copyright
© 2021 The American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
