What's Missing in Table 1: Language Equity in Emergency Medicine Research

Presenters: Molly E.W Thiessen, MD Learning Objectives: Upon completion of this session, participants should be able to: Describe the current state of the inclusion of patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) in research studies. Reflect on the balance between patient autonomy , informed consent, and inclusivity for LEP patients in research. Describe strategies employed to successfully included a representative number of patients with LEP in studies. Describe innovative ways to include patients with limited English proficiency in research studies moving forward. The population of the United States has become extremely diverse, with 25 million people identifying as having limited English proficiency, and 21% of the population speaking a language other than English at home. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the emergency departments (EDs) across the country, yet patients with limited English proficiency are underrepresented in clinical trials, and the number of studies that require English language proficiency is rising. This limits the ability to extend the findings and benefits of the research to this vulnerable patient population. Researchers must strike a balance between respecting patient autonomy and ensuring true informed consent, while still being as inclusive as possible with respect to enrollment. This session will include a brief review of the current state of language equity in clinical trials in the United States, including examples of positive outliers and successful inclusion strategies, and participants will then participate in an activity assessing how language is addressed with their local Institutional Review Board. The session will conclude with an interactive brainstorming session to determine innovative ways to address this conundrum.