From barrier to enabler: Transforming language for global health collaboration

Linguists characterize language as a social determinant of health that could be a barrier in healthcare leading to miscommunication between the healthcare professional and the patient. At the global level, non-English-speaking scientists have limited access to international conferences, significant funding, and scientific publications that are mainly in English. In the field of global health, effective collaboration is crucial for implementing inclusive projects that meet stakeholder goals and have a tangible impact on the communities they aim to enhance, ultimately improving quality of life. Collaboration is at the top of the four C pyramid and is built upon a foundation of trust (Confidence), Communication, understanding (Comprehension), and the collective pursuit of a common goal. These elements are critical for successful partnerships. Unfortunately, language disparities can hinder these foundational layers, impacting trust, limiting communication, obstructing understanding, and blocking collaboration.

In this opinion piece, scholars discuss the barriers that language might initiate, the effective strategies for bridging language gaps and levearing language as a key enabler for global health equity.