Ethnicity And Illness

Question 1

What is race

Answer 1

It is used to differentiate groups of people biologically through superficial characteristics such a skin colour and facial features.

Question 2

What is culture?

Answer 2

Culture is the result of people living together in social groups. It is made by human beings and does not derive from nature

Question 3

What does culture refer to

Answer 3

Peoples constructions, Beliefs and values
Examples of this would be way of life, fashion, customs and food

Question 4

What is Ethnicity

Answer 4

The nation people are from.
It is the social division of people into groups based on their identification with shared cultural characteristics and other people.

Question 5

What happens when people share culture

Answer 5

When people share these cultural characteristics they feel connected with each other. And start to feel that they belong to a certain ethnic group

Question 6

What are the three things ethnicity breaks down into or that people look at when identifying their ethnicity?

Answer 6

Shared culture- language, food, religion, clothing, origins, myths and traditions, music and art. (Feel connected and accepter, develop a sense of belonging)

Ethnic group- social membership (due to shared culture) and identity

Ethnic origin- common ancestry and place of origin

Question 7

Ethnicity is basically the sense of

Answer 7

Belonging (shared culture) while looking at their ethnic group and origin

Question 8

Ethnicity constructs ethnic _____

Answer 8

Boundaries.

These are constricted and maintained by social groups them selves.

Question 9

What are 2 parts of ethnic boundaries

Answer 9

Insiders vs outsiders
Ethnic groups construct enemies

Question 10

Ethnicity as a concept is not fixed its fluid, what does this mean.

Answer 10

People nowadays may identify themselves with many ethnic groups due to migration and globalization.
(Multiples ethnic identities or may not strongly identify with an ethic group)

Question 11

Is there a difference between the health of ethnic minority groups and the main ethnic groups

Answer 11

Yes, most minority ethnic groups have lower life expectancy and poorer health. They experience stigma and this is NOT due to their ethnicity

Example Bangladesh and Pakistani people report worse health over the general population. This is NOT due to their ethnicity

These people may experience discrimination, not having access to health care,

Question 12

What is intersectionality

Answer 12

People’s experiences are not confined to their ethnic background. People are influenced by exposure to many other social experiences. Social factors other than ethnicity affect peoples experiences

Intersectionality is how these social factors intersect and influence each other

Question 13

What is ethnoization

Answer 13

A condition is attributed to a specific ethnic group. This can lead to stereotypes and incorrect info

Sickle cell disease - African/ African Caribbean groups
Schizophrenia - African Caribbeans
CHD - south asians

Question 14

(If it is not ethnicity per se, what other factors (social factors) might be influential? )

The 5 reasons minority ethnic groups have lower life expectancy are?

Answer 14

Differences in cultural consequent health behaviours

Socioeconomic disadvantages

Adopting the western lifestyle

Low population density

Racism

Question 15

Differences in culture and health behaviours means?

Answer 15

Migrants bring with them their own understanding of health and illness which is culturally induced. They may not be willing to make changes (e.g. vaccines etc)

Sometimes migrants health literacy may be poor. They may not be aware of possible causes of conditions and may not know where they should go for help or their rights in the host country

Question 16

Socioeconomic disadvantage means

Answer 16

Migrants are coming as low-income workers to do the jobs that local people are not willing to do

Therefore, they are likely to live in poverty or even been unemployed

Question 17

Adopting the western lifestyle means

Answer 17

(Mainly younger generations)
Second and third generation migrant tend to adopt the western unhealthy lifestyle.

Question 18

The reason of Low population density means

Answer 18

Migrants may live in areas where they cannot find many people from their home country which may be problematic because they feel less connected and accepted/ integrated into the new/host society and feel socially isolated. Not feeling connected to society may associate with poor health

In low population density areas migrants do not have many opportunities for social support and triggers (may experience racism).

Question 19

The reason of racism means?

Answer 19

Racism is very a problematic experience for migrants

It is associated with ill health

It can lead to social isolation and feelings of injustice

It is associated with depression and general social disadvantage

Question 20

Summary

Answer 20

It is not the ethnic minority groups themselves that are the reasons behind poorer health but the social disadvantages/ circumstances they experience and are exposed too in a host country. So it is not ethnicity alone that leads to ill health.