The Case for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Reports such as the National Healthcare Disparities Report

The Case for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Reports such as the National Healthcare Disparities Report, prepared annually by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the Health Disparities and Inequalities Report, prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, examine many of the factors contributing to the persistence of health and health care disparities. The reports list factors that may contribute to differences in health care, including: Social determinants of health (e.g., education, income, access to healthy food)Lifestyle choicesCare-seeking behavior of patients, which may vary due to differing cultural beliefsLinguistic barriersDegree of trust of health care providersVariations in the predisposition to seeking timely careAbility to pay for care (directly or through insurance coverage)Location, management, and delivery of health care servicesClinical uncertaintyBeliefs of health care practitioners