title: Integrating literacy, culture, and language to improve health care quality for diverse populations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To understand the interrelationship of literacy, culture, and language and the importance of addressing their intersection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Health literacy, cultural competence, and linguistic competence strategies to quality improvement were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Strategies to improve health literacy for low-literate individuals are distinct from strategies for culturally diverse and individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP). The lack of integration results in health care that is unresponsive to some vulnerable groups' needs. A vision for integrated care is presented.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinicians, the health care team, and health care organizations have important roles to play in addressing challenges related to literacy, culture, and language.
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Equality, Drexel University School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA 19102-1192, USA. dpa28@drexel.edu
authors.forename: Dennis P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Andrulis
authors.forename: Cindy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brach
mesh_terms: D018864:Cultural Diversity; D003469:Culture; D004522:Educational Status; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D011787:Quality of Health Care