Cross-cultural validation of the parent-patient activation measure in low income Spanish- and English-speaking parents.

The study was done in one urban academic pediatric clinic serving mostly immigrant families, so it may not apply to other settings. Nearly all providers could communicate directly in Spanish, so parents in this sample may have had easier access to care than parents in many other clinics. Participants were parents already attending primary care and willing to complete a survey, so families who do not attend or who refused may differ. The retest sample was small (20 Spanish-language and 10 English-language parents), so score stability over 1 to 4 months is uncertain. The adult factor models did not fit, and the authors say the measure's clinical use is still unclear. Questions that drove scores concerned child health problems, eating right, and exercising, which may not fit parents of young children with few chronic conditions.

The supplied text does not report funding or conflicts of interest. The Parent-Patient Activation Measure is licensed by Insignia Health and was used with permission.

Do not read lower activation in Spanish-speaking parents as proof that Spanish-speaking families are less engaged. The survey showed similar reliability in both languages, the clinic had Spanish-proficient providers, and the authors say the parent measure may not capture the same ideas as the adult measure.