DETROIT-MI(FN) — Nigerian scholar Gift O. Olalusi, currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Health, Science, and Risk Communication in the United States, has received a prestigious award for her research on the impact of linguistic bias in healthcare.
Olalusi’s award-winning paper examines how non-American accents influence patient outcomes and healthcare providers’ perceptions in U.S. medical settings. Her findings highlight how communication barriers can undermine trust, delay diagnosis, and negatively affect treatment quality for non-native English speakers.
“Effective healthcare starts with communication,” Olalusi said. “If patients don’t feel heard, they don’t heal.”
In addition to her academic work, Olalusi recently took on a leadership role at an organization focused on promoting cultural understanding and dialogue in media and public health across Africa and its diaspora.
Her research explores how marginalized groups, including those defined by accent, disability, or cultural background, often become “communicatively invisible” within healthcare systems. This invisibility contributes to delayed treatment and preventable health complications.
Olalusi has also worked on community health initiatives in underserved neighborhoods in Ohio, developing communication strategies aimed at improving patient-provider interactions. She believes lessons learned in the U.S. can be adapted to address similar challenges in Nigeria and other developing countries.
“The barriers vary, but the core issues remain the same: mistrust, bias, and poor communication,” she said. “To improve health outcomes, we must do more than build facilities—we must improve how we communicate.”
Her ongoing doctoral research aims to create culturally responsive communication models to enhance healthcare delivery in diverse settings globally.
