What Is the Address of Your Emergency? Navigating Language Barriers in 911 Calls with Mandarin-Speaking Callers
Nicole Stankovic, MPH, Camille Fogel, MS, Hendrika Meischke, PhD, MPH, Magaly Ramirez, PhD, MS, Angelica Loza-Gomez, MD, Anne M. Turner, MD, MLIS, MPH, FACMI, Mei Po Yip, PhD, MPhil
Jan 09, 2026|AEDR 2026 Vol. 13 Issue 2|Original Research
Language barriers during emergency calls can delay the delivery of care and jeopardize health outcomes for individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP). This study examines how Mandarin-speaking LEP callers and 911 Public Safety Telecommunicators (PSTs) navigate the critical task of address acquisition during medical emergencies. Using Conversation Analysis, we analyzed nine 911 calls in which callers were later connected to an interpreter only after providing their location.