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Ethics and Patient Education: Health Literacy and Cultural Dilemmas

SOPHE Ethics Committee, Teachers College, Columbia University, in New York, New York, Center for Health Promotion at York College, City University of New York

This article discusses health literacy and cultural factors that have implications for the ethical practice of health education. It specifically focuses on recent data that speaks to the challenges in carrying out patient education from the perspective of comprehension and equitable distribution of health-related information across diverse cultures and communities. It discusses strategies for reducing the negative impact of low health literacy among diverse groups and the importance of acknowledging this pervasive problem in the context of ensuring equity in the optimal delivery of health promotion messages.

Key Words: culture • health education ethics • health literacy

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Health Promotion Practice, Vol. 10, No. 3, 328-332 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1524839909335657


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This Article Abstract Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Marks, R. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Marks, R. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?