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What is language equity?

Language equity refers to the principle and practice of ensuring that every person — regardless of their language skills or preference — has equal access to information, resources, and opportunities to help them achieve their best health and overall well-being.

Multi-ethnic children holding hands

Our work

The Program for Language Equity (PLE) aims to advance language equity in research, clinical care, and medical education by transforming research and health care delivery to include and prioritize individuals who speak languages other than English (LOE).

Why we do it

  • Language access is an essential requirement – A federal mandate requires federally funded hospitals and universities to provide meaningful access to individuals who speak languages other than English (LOE).
  • Better communication means better care – Patients who speak LOE face higher risks of medical complications, hospital readmissions, and negative healthcare experiences.
  • High quality research includes all voices – Over 90% of U.S. clinical studies include only English-speaking participants, limiting generalizability and accuracy. 
  • Inclusion builds trust in healthcare and research – Excluding multilingual communities from research can lead to distrust and worsen health disparities.
  • Language equity benefits everyone – Ensuring access to healthcare and research improves outcomes for individuals and strengthens communities.

How we do it

Through interprofessional collaboration and community engagement in:

  • Advocacy – We amplify the voices of individuals who use languages other than English in spaces where they are often overlooked, ensuring their needs and perspectives are represented. 
  • Clinical Operations – We work to seamlessly integrate interpretation, translation, and multilingual support into patient care.
  • Education – We inform researchers, clinicians, and leaders about strategies to enhance language access in their practice area.
  • Research – We conduct innovative research related to language disparities and access.

Focus areas

Decorative icons with these words: Advocacy, clinical operations, education, research