Chart of the Month: Breaking language barriers

Language is key to communication.

As veterinary teams strive to serve our communities, understanding and embracing the diversity of languages spoken in those communities can help us remove barriers to veterinary care, improve patient outcomes, and strengthen client relationships.

So, just what we do we know about linguistic diversity in the United States?

What the data show

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 22% of our nation's population speaks a language other than English at home. As today's chart shows, this varies among individual states, ranging from 2% in West Virginia to 45% in California and 95% in Puerto Rico.

Overall, 32 states have populations where at least 10% of people speak a language other than English at home. The most common languages are Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Arabic.

What does this mean?

The data underscore the importance of having veterinary services accessible to a diverse client base. At the heart, they suggest that many people-quite possibly people in your own community-feel more comfortable with another language than they do with English. No matter whether these people are current or potential clients, there's plenty to gain by building connections with them through language.

After all, we know that communication is fundamental to providing the best care to all patients and explaining patient needs to clients. Language barriers can make the delivery of care more difficult, as miscommunication leads to friction in discussing an animal's history, explaining treatment options and their costs, or providing at-home care instructions.

What can we do with this information?

Leveraging resources that help us address linguistic and cultural differences can help us break these barriers, strengthen ties to our communities and clients, and support the best possible care for patients. Many of us already appreciate how speaking in client-friendly terms rather than medical jargon can improve client communication. Why stop there?

Addressing the language diversity of your current and potential client base can help you grow your practice and foster stronger connections with a broader array of animal owners. Even if only a small segment of your community speaks a language other than English at home, creating a more welcoming experience for those animal owners can help you differentiate your practice from others and increase your market share.

You don't necessarily need to learn other languages to start bridging language gaps. You could consider hiring bilingual staff; enlisting interpreters; using real-time translation tools like Google Translate; and offering multilingual signage, forms, and brochures. There's no one-size-fits-all solution. The greatest value will come from efforts tailored to your community's unique needs and language profile.

Want an easy way to start?

The AVMA offers a growing collection of Spanish-language resources on a wide range of topics. They're generally available as free downloads to AVMA members, and high-quality printed versions are available for purchase in the AVMA Store (where AVMA members receive pricing discounts).

Want to do more? Language is just one aspect of communication and interpersonal relations. Discover what else you and your team can do through Journey for Teams. You'll find 15-minute learning modules your team can explore together on topics like client communication, cultural responsiveness, and other topics important to embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion.

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