Health and Ethnicity

In modern multicultural societies, the topic of 'health and ethnicity' has become increasingly recognised as highly relevant. All too frequently, academic coverage of the topic has been scattered in specialist literature of different disciplines; a book bringing these perspectives together has so far been lacking. The aim of the book is to explain the diversity in health experience due to determinants and factors that can be described as 'ethnic'. Both 'ethnicity' and 'health' are words that have stimulated semantic debate, and yet too seldom is sufficient sensitivity given over to the complexity of the issue. The biological complexity in understanding ethnic factors contributing to measurable pathologies lies in the interaction of genetic variation and lifestyle differences. Diversity in both of these is found within and between cultural subgroups of larger social and geographic categories. Differences range from diet and other consupmtions to traditional remedies, from religious beliefs to marriage patterns, from exercise to clothing, and much more. Additionally, psychological and socioeconomic correlates of ethnic status are deeply intertwined with the well-being of the individual. Coverage of this topic has grown in both academic and popular writing, but none before have included authors from the medical, social and biological sciences. This volume allows biomedical and social scientists to discuss the issue of health and ethinicity alongside each other.

Prakash Shetty, Helen Macbeth

1. Introduction Helen Macbeth and Prakash Shetty 2. Defining the Ethnic Group; Important and Impossible Helen Macbeth 3. Ethnicity and Race as Epidemiological Variables: Centrality of Purpose and Context Raj Bhopal 4. The Contribution of Socioeconomic Position to Health Differentials Between Ethnic Groups: Evidence from the US and Britain James Nazroo and George Davey Smith 5. Health: An Elusive Concept Gilbert Lewis 6. Human Inbreeding: A Familiar Story Full of Surprises Alan Bittles et al. 7. The Inherited Disorders of Haemoglobin David J. Weatherall 8. Genetic Variation and Ethnic Variablility in Disease Risk Ryk Ward 9. Approaches to Investigating the Genetic Basis of Ethnic Differences in Disease Risk Paul McKeigue 10. Diabetes, Ancestral Diets and Dairy Foods: An Evolutionary Perspective on Population Differences In Susceptibility to Diabetes Anthony J. McMichael 11. Variations in Health and Disease: Race, Ethnicity or 'Nutritional Transition'? Prakash Shetty 12. Ethnic Variation and Cardiovascular Disease Sonia S. Anand and Salim Yusuf 13. Ethnicity and the Risk of Cancer D. Max Parkin 14. 'Culture' in the Field of Race and Mental Health Roland Littlewood 15. Sexual Health and Ethnicity Kaye Wellings and K. A. Fenton 16. Challenges and Policy Implications of Ethnic Diversity and Health Rasaratnam Balarajan Bhopal, University of Edinburgh Medical School, James Nazroo, University College London, Gilbert Lewis, University of Cambridge, Allan Bittles, Edith Cowan University, David J. Weatherall, University of Oxford, Ryk Ward, University of Oxford, Paul McKeigue, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Anthony J. Mc Michael, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Prakash Shetty, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Max Parkin, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Roland Littlewood, University College London, Kaye Wellings, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, K.A. Fenton, London School of Hygeine and Tropical Medicine, R. Balarajan, St Bernard's Hospital, Salim Yusuf, McMaster University, Sonia S. Anand, Hamilton General Hospital, George Davey Smith, Bristol University.