UT Health San Antonio scientist awarded $300,000 grant to study effect of Spanish-language interpretation on child mental health outcomes

A researcher with (UT Health San Antonio) was awarded a $300,000 research project grant through the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium'sNew and Emerging Children's Mental Health Research initiative.

Jessica Sandoval, MD, associate clinical professor with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, in the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine, was selected for her project investigating how child mental health outcomes are affected by the quality of Spanish-language interpretation during psychiatric evaluations.

The goal of Sandoval's study is to see if the quality of Spanish-language interpretation between an English-speaking physician and a Spanish-speaking parent impacts clinical outcomes of a child patient and, additionally, if it affects trust in the physician.

"While having an interpreter addresses the language barriers that may exist, we don't know if the quality of that interpretation has any impact on patient outcomes and their ability to form a trusting relationship with their psychiatrist, which can be an important element of treatment," Sandoval said.

Sandoval said Hispanic patients often have unmet mental health needs, lower access to mental health care, underuse of care if it is available and shorter durations in treatment when they do utilize care. This study could lead to the investigation of previously unrecognized disparities in mental health care among this population.

A total of $8.3 million in grant funding was awarded to 25 projects from institutions participating in the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium. Fifteen of the 25 New and Emerging Children's Mental Health Research grants were awarded to University of Texas System researchers.

The grant recipients will begin their two-year projects Sept. 1, 2024.

The New and Emerging Children's Mental Health Research initiative supports research focused on improving child and adolescent mental health in Texas. It also aims to encourage the development of junior researchers in the field. Applications for this grant funding were subjected to stringent individual and group review by out-of-state scientific reviewers and Texas-based mental health professionals.

"We worked diligently to ensure the process mirrored that of the best grant programs in Texas and that these proposals align with the needs of the state as identified by our Texas mental health agencies in terms of improving children's mental health systems and services," said David Lakey, MD, vice chancellor for Health Affairs and Chief Medical Officer with The University of Texas System.

For a complete list of grantees, visit https://tcmhcc.utsystem.edu/news/twenty-five-research-proposals-accepted-for-funding-by-the-texas-child-mental-health-care-consortium/

For more information about the New and Emerging Children's Mental Health Research initiative, visit tcmhcc.utsystem.edu/necmhr/

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