Evaluating Delivery of Trauma-Informed Care in the Trauma Bay
Authors' conclusion
This cross-sectional study found that TIC practices, including fundamental communication, empathetic engagement, and patient-centered behaviors, were inconsistently delivered during acute trauma resuscitation. Spanish-speaking patients experienced lower rates of trauma-informed communication and were less likely to receive a complete examination.
Study context
- Population
- Alert, hemodynamically stable injured patients (SBP >90, heart rate <120, GCS >13) evaluated in the trauma bay at 6 level I trauma centers, March 2024 to April 2025
- Participants
- 291 patient encounters
- Exposure
- Spanish-speaking vs English-speaking patients
- Spanish-speakingn = 52
- English-speakingn = 236reference
- Outcome
- Delivery of trauma-informed care (TIC): basic communication (eg, introductions), empathetic communication (eg, reassurances) and comprehensiveness of the examination (standard checklist)
Methodological detailsmulticentre, audiovisual recordings
- Multicentre
- Audiovisual recordings
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
TIC elements by language
- Physician introduction, overall
- 28.8%
- Physician introduction, Spanish-speaking vs English-speaking: 3 of 49 [6.1%] vs 71 of 208 [34.1%]
- P < .001
- Nurse introduction, overall
- 10.0%
- Verbal reassurances, Spanish-speaking vs English-speaking: median [IQR] 1 [0-1] vs 2 [1-4]
- P < .001
- ≥1 physical reassurance, Spanish-speaking vs English-speaking: 7 of 51 [13.7%] vs 118 of 229 [51.5%]
- P < .001
- Interventions with any communication, Spanish-speaking vs English-speaking: mean [SD] 46.5% [28.8 percentage points] vs 57.3% [29.4 percentage points]
- P = .02
- Complete physical examination, overall
- 34.2%
- Complete physical examination, Spanish-speaking vs English-speaking: 7 [13.7%] vs 90 [38.6%]
- P < .001
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | Spanish-speaking |
|---|---|
| Interpreter present for any part of the evaluation | 32.7% |
Original publication
Evaluating Delivery of Trauma-Informed Care in the Trauma Bay. JAMA Surg. Published 16 September 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →