Title |
The Role of Culture in Health Literacy and Chronic Disease Screening and Management
|
---|---|
Published in |
Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, April 2008
|
DOI | 10.1007/s10903-008-9135-5 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Susan J. Shaw, Cristina Huebner, Julie Armin, Katherine Orzech, James Vivian |
Abstract |
Cultural and language differences and socioeconomic status interact with and contribute to low health literacy, defined as the inability to understand or act on medical/therapeutic instructions. Health literacy is increasingly recognized as an important factor in patient compliance, cancer screening utilization, and chronic disease outcomes. Commendable efforts have been initiated by the American Medical Association and other organizations to address low health literacy among patients. Less work has been done, however, to place health literacy in the broader context of socioeconomic and cultural differences among patients and providers that hinder communication and compliance. This review examines cultural influences on health literacy, cancer screening and chronic disease outcomes. We argue that cultural beliefs around health and illness contribute to an individual's ability to understand and act on a health care provider's instructions. This paper proposes key aspects of the intersection between health literacy and culturally varying beliefs about health which merit further exploration. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
United States | 1 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Members of the public | 1 | 100% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
United States | 8 | 2% |
Malaysia | 1 | <1% |
Korea, Republic of | 1 | <1% |
Australia | 1 | <1% |
Unknown | 411 | 97% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Master | 80 | 19% |
Student > Ph. D. Student | 65 | 15% |
Student > Bachelor | 46 | 11% |
Researcher | 44 | 10% |
Student > Doctoral Student | 33 | 8% |
Other | 76 | 18% |
Unknown | 78 | 18% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Medicine and Dentistry | 112 | 27% |
Social Sciences | 88 | 21% |
Nursing and Health Professions | 53 | 13% |
Psychology | 20 | 5% |
Business, Management and Accounting | 12 | 3% |
Other | 57 | 14% |
Unknown | 80 | 19% |