In order to reach an unprecedented number of state residents, the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) was given in the field in six languages: English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Korean. Translation methodologies were explored, attempted, revised, in terms of the major concerns of quality and time consumed. A “translation by committee” strategy after an evaluation of the literature led to the conclusion the process yielded equivalent or superior products as compared to the conventional “translation/back-translation” method. Our translation by committee process entailed two forward translations by certified medical translators, an evaluation of the two versions by a certified medical interpreter based at a community health center, culminating in an item-by-item review of the translations, via conference call, to select the most appropriate translation. After the committee review, the translation underwent a further review for “spoken” simplicity by the survey’s bilingual and bicultural telephone interviewers. A total of four trained translators, at least one trained telephone interviewer, and in some cases, additional bilingual community members evaluated the translations. Translation by committee consumed an average of nine weeks per language and consumed less time than an alternative plan for translation, back translation and focus groups. However, it required greater effort on the part of the translators themselves and on the overall coordination of the survey. Because our translation window was no longer than a five-month period, we did not conduct a pretest of the translated instruments.
Learning Objectives: The California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) is a large population-based assessment of health and health care access designed to provide estimates at the local level and for California's ethnically diverse population. This session will provide information on the use of CHIS data to measure health disparities based on race/ethnicity, income, age, gender and sexual orientation, immigration status and citizenship, and geography, including urban-rural place of residence. Presenters will describe scientific and political factors involved in the development of CHIS; the design of the 55,000 household CHIS sample; methods of assuring quality of health, health insurance, access, and other measures; methods of multicultural and linguistic adaptation of survey measures; confidentiality protection policies; and the dissemination of data and results to diverse users.
Keywords: Population, Methodology
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.