There are more than 400 different languages spoken in the US. While English is considered the primary language for most Americans, many other languages are spoken across the country. This multiplicity of languages can at times pose a challenge for communication with healthcare professionals.
For the bleeding disorders community, education and knowledge are invaluable. The more that this community of patients and caregivers understands these rare disorders, the better they are able to communicate effectively with their healthcare providers. Ultimately, this improves the delivery of care.
When a person with a bleeding disorder speaks English, but his or her parents or caregivers are not as fluent, breakdowns in communication can occur. In the best-case scenario, patients may act as interpreters between their parents or caregivers and their healthcare team. In other instances, patients with bleeding disorders might not speak English fluently and translated materials can be very beneficial to them.
The World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) works in many different languages around the world. We have more than 300 publications, both in print and online, available in seven languages: English, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, simplified Chinese and Japanese. In addition, the WFH has many online educational resources that can further assist patient organizations and hemophilia treatment centers (HTCs) when they reach out to their wider communities.
For English speakers working with different language populations, the WFH offers the option to perform an English language search of our translated materials: www.wfh.org/publications. The majority of WFH publications are available for free download and print copies can be ordered online. Community members who are fluent in Spanish, French, Arabic, simplified Chinese, Russian or Japanese may prefer to access resources directly in those languages within the Resources section of each of the localized language WFH websites. All the localized websites can be accessed through links at the top right corner of: www.wfh.org.
New interactive browsing tool
The WFH has recently launched a new way of accessing its library of educational resources online. An interactive browsing tool now groups information by topic: government support, care delivery, medical expertise (including multidisciplinary), treatment products, patient organizations, and data collection and outcomes research. This easy-to-use tool aims to connect each member of the community with the resources that meet his or her specific needs.
http://www.wfh.org/en/resources/browse
Young Voices series
Many patient organizations struggle to engage and inspire young adults. The WFH Young Voices series of articles reaches out to bridge the gap and encourage youth involvement.
The information in the series is designed to help identify, mobilize and empower future leaders. Available in English, French and Spanish, it engages youth with its poll and survey questions, and offers practical advice targeting challenges and opportunities for youth groups in the bleeding disorders community.
www.wfh.org/youngvoices
Compendium of Assessment Tools
The Compendium of Assessment Tools presents objective evaluations of validated tools that are key to the diagnosis and management of bleeding disorders. Healthcare professionals and researchers can learn about the strengths and limitations of each tool, download relevant materials and even contact one of the experts involved in a particular tool’s development.
www.wfh.org/assessment_tools
The future is bright
The WFH continues to capitalize on expanding global Internet access to provide more educational resources to the bleeding disorders community. Online resources deliver information to people who wish to learn more, become engaged in the global community and help improve care for all those in need.