The role of local languages in effective health service delivery

Abstract A factor that impacts the health outcome of individuals is effective communication, and language is an important part of communication. The use of patients’ local language during health service delivery has been shown to influence patient satisfaction, compliance and overall health outcomes. A narrative review of existing literature was conducted, and the methodology involved searching through PubMed, Google Scholar, SCOPUS, Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), COCHRANE Library, and African Journals Online (AJOL) focusing on original studies that examined the influence of indigenous languages on healthcare delivery. Also, only literature published in the English language was considered and narrative reviews, preprints, opinions, letters, and commentaries were excluded. Twenty studies were reviewed, and there were diverse categories of eligible populations among the papers included in this review: sixteen Quantitative Studies, two systematic reviews, and two mixed-method studies. The key findings showed that the use of local languages in healthcare delivery improves metrics such as patient satisfaction, compliance with medical instructions, and health improvement. The identified limitations of this study include the restrictions in the criteria for the literature that were reviewed, limited focus on specific healthcare specialties, and possible publication bias. The recommendations include implementing policies that prioritize local language use in healthcare service delivery, community engagement, and promotion of health technologies that support communication in multiple languages.