CHIA Vocabulary

Question 1

AdHoc Interpreter

Answer 1

An untrained person who is called upon to interpret,
Interpreter such as a family member interpreting for her parents, a bilingual staff member pulled away from other duties to interpret, or a self declared bilingual in a hospital waiting-room who volunteers to interpret. Also called a chance interpreter or lay interpreter (NCIHC).
Webster’s Dictionary: -unplanned, impromptu,
extemporized.” (Note that this could possibly also refer
to a trained interpreter in an unplanned interpreting
session).

Question 2

Cultural Competency (in healthcare)

Answer 2

A continuous process of seeking cultural sensitivity,
knowledge and skills to work effectively with individuals and families from diverse cultural communities and with their culturally diverse providers.

Question 3

Cultural Responsiveness

Answer 3

A measure of the knowledge, skill and sensitivity of
healthcare professionals and their organizations to
become aware of the individual and systemic needs of
culturally diverse populations, and their subsequent
receptivity and openness in developing, implementing
and evaluating culturally-appropriate institutional
responses to these needs.

Question 4

Cultural Sensitivity

Answer 4

Awareness of one’s own cultural assumptions, biases,
behaviors and beliefs, and the knowledge and skills to
interact with and understand people from other cultures without imposing one’s own cultural values on them. Cultural sensitivity is required at both the individual level and at systemic, professional and organizational levels (Agger-Gupta, 1997).

Question 5

Limited English-Proficient(LEP)

Answer 5

Limited English ‘‘Limited English-Proficient’’ or ‘‘(LEP)’’ means a limited ability or inability to speak, read, write, or
understand the English language at a level that permits
the person to interact effectively with health care providers or social service agencies (California draft
Senate Bill AB2739).