The document discusses health inequalities between ethnic groups. It notes that health issues are more serious for some ethnic minorities, especially blacks, who are more likely to experience poorer health outcomes and die younger than whites. Key factors that contribute to health differences include lifestyle, socioeconomic status, housing conditions, and rates of diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and hypertension. Overall, the document examines data showing inequalities in health statuses and top causes of death between ethnic groups in both the UK and US.
1. Running head: Ethnicity of Health and Inequalities 1
Ethnicity of Health and Inequalities
HCS 420
Professor Kulp
Maurice Stover
February 25, 2015
2. Ethnicity of Health and Inequalities 2
A great deal of attention has been focused on cultural and behavioral explanations for ethnicity
inequalities in health (Taylor and Field, 1997, p.80). Health illness is becoming more and more
serious in the health world between different ethnic groups. Ethnicity refers to a shared
awareness among the members of a social group of common origins or descent (Taylor and
Field, 1997, p.78). Genetic is a key factor that play a role in health, but many other factors comes
into place. Everybody among different ethnic groups has health problems in their lifetime. One
of the main factors that will be examined is how health is affected by a person ethnicity. Health
and inequalities is among all ethnic groups, but the most common is among Blacks which is also
known as African Americans or Black Africans. Ethnic minority people are more likely to
encounter poorer quality NHS services and facilities (Taylor and Field, 1997, p.80). Health
among blacks is not just a concern in the United Kingdom it is really big in the United States
(Sridhar, 2005). The reason blacks among any of their ethnic groups have health problems are
due to their lifestyle. The majority of blacks eat unhealthy food compared to whites. ‘Blacks
often cook unhealthy foods which include fried chicken, fried pork, cornbread, and ribs and
many of these dishes use large amounts of pork fat, butter, and salt for flavor’ (Cowling, 2006).
Blacks are less likely to exercise and the reasoning is a lack of time; physical and emotional
exhaustion; lack of inspiration to be physically active (Cowling, 2006). Crowing (2006) also
states that ‘living in a high crime area; inclement weather; lack of recreational facilities; and an
absence of social support’, causes blacks to have deprived health. Health and inequalities play a
major role when to come to society health status and the reasoning behind this is corresponding
to housing, and possessions that contribute to the diseases. Blacks are the ethnic group that is
more expected to experience poorer health outcomes compared to the mainstream population,
which is Whites (Leung and Stanner, 2001, p.169). The reason is blacks are more unlikely to
3. Ethnicity of Health and Inequalities 3
take care of themselves. Blacks are anticipated to report their health as fair or poor 20% of the
time associated to 13% of whites who assess their health status as fair or poor (Sridhar, 2005
p.20). One focal reason that many blacks do not take care of themselves is due to the lack of
economic support. Blacks or African Americans report delaying or foregoing care in the past
year, as did 25% of white (Sridhar, 2005 p.23). During Sridhar studies she reported there were
many reasons they delay care including cost, lack of insurance, and competing family work
responsibilities (2005, p.23). Many other factors can come into place when it comes down to
health between ethnic groups. Among different ethnic groups another factor that contributes to
their health status is poor working conditions. Smaje (1995,p.20) states that ‘poor working
conditions such as shift work, night work, and home working are experienced by a greater
proportion of people from a minority ethnic group than whites’. People with healthier health are
expected to outlive the people who have poorer health. The white population is expected to
outlive the black population by an average of 6.0 years (Murphy, 2000). Whites continue to have
the highest life expectancy at birth compared to blacks 80.0 years, to 74.8 years (Murphy, 2000).
In 2006 whites still lived six years longer than African-American and have a four-year advantage
over their black peers (William and Sternthal, 2010, p.3). Now this report will examine data
between ethnic groups.
2.1 Figure: 1 Poorer Health Statuses in the UK
4. Ethnicity of Health and Inequalities 4
Source: permission from: Office of National Statistics (2007)
This chart shows the health status between different ethnic groups. Many today report that their
health is poorer than usual. Only 8% of White British, compared to 7% of Black African has
said their health has become poorer. Among different ethnic groups white’s health is getting
worse over time compared to blacks whose health is expected to be corrupt.
5. Ethnicity of Health and Inequalities 5
2.2 Figure: 2 Health Statuses in the United States
Source: Permission from: Center disease control and prevention, (2006)
The chart shows the health status among ethnicity in the USA and it is made to examine fair and
poor health status among blacks .Health Status in the USA is higher compared to the UK. 21.1%
in the States said their health was fair/poor and 18% among all blacks in the UK. Also, 59.3% of
whites say they have very good health compared to only 44.4% of blacks say they have very
good health. Examining this chart reviewer can tell the health status among different ethnicity is
not anywhere near the same.
In deprived housing there is a wide range of unhealthy circumstance and this can affect
problems in health this can embrace, contamination, wounds, and rational health problems.
Easterlow (1999, p.3) states that ‘people who occupy the cheapest housing usually live in the
poorer parts of the housing stock in the worst environmental conditions’. Du Bois states that
‘some contributing factor to African-American health was poor heredity, bad welling, poor food
6. Ethnicity of Health and Inequalities 6
and unsanitary living conditions’ (Cited in Williams and Sternthal, 2010 p.2). Blacks more often
live in corrupt housing compared to whites. 71% of African-Americans versus 58% of white
Americans live in communities that violate federal air pollution standards (DeNoon 2005). The
majority of African Americans are living in poverty, which is commonly in a contaminated
neighborhood. The Poverty rate in 2011 was 28% of African Americans living in poverty
(DeShay, 2007). This is partly because ‘cheap housing environments which are
disproportionately prone to cold, damp, mold, overcrowding, poor repair and inadequate
maintenance tend to be directly hazardous to health’ (Hunt, 1993; Cited in Easterlow et al., 1999
p.3). Many ethnic groups do not own their own houses. Smaje states that many ethnic groups
rent disproportionately from local authorities compared to whites (1995, p.30). More than likely
the value of the house is going to be in poor conditions. Ellaway and Macintyre (1998;Cited in
Easterlow et al., 1999 p.3) find direct evidence to this effect, observing that housing
characteristics known to be associated with poor health may be more common in the public
sector than in owner occupation. Unsanitary housing is a major contribute to health especially
among blacks than any other ethnic groups.
The burden of disease in modern Britain comes primarily from long-term chronic conditions
(Taylor and Fieldp.29).Diseases are a major health problem between one or more ethnic groups.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United Kingdom as well in the United States
among all ethnic groups’ (Smaje, 1995, p.54). 600,000 people die of heart disease every year that
is1 in every 4 deaths (CDC, 2012). 25% of whites died from heart disease compared to 24% of
Blacks (CDC, 2012). Although heart disease is the number one cause of death many other
diseases come into place. Cerebrovascular disease known as CVD is the second leading cause of
death after CHD among all ethnic groups in Britain (Smaje 1995, p.58). Many Blacks have a
7. Ethnicity of Health and Inequalities 7
higher frequency of dying from these diseases. When it comes to cancer numerous of men’s die
from prostate cancer while many women die from breast cancer. Black men have a 40% higher
cancer death rate than white men and black women have a 20% higher breast cancer death rate
than white women (DeNoon, 2005).High blood pressure plays a major role in health as well and
it is more collective between Blacks or African Americans. 42% of black men and more than
45% of black women aged 20 and older have high blood pressure (DeNoon, 2005). Another high
risk that is among Blacks compared to whites is diabetes more likely type-2. 60% of diabetes is
more common in Blacks or African-American than in white (DeNoon, 2005). This report will
now explore data among these diseases.
Figure: 3 top disease among all ethnic groups:
The diagram shows the top disease that is
among all ethnicities in 2000. This is worldwide so not only in the UK this goes for the US as
well. Heart disease is the number one leading death among many Ethnicities. 30 % of people die
from heart disease compared to only 7 % of people die from strokes. Cancer is the next big
cause of death, which is 23% and it is only 7% less than heart disease. Many people are affected
by health problems, but will see it among Black ethnic groups.
8. Ethnicity of Health and Inequalities 8
In conclusion there is a dispute here in the UK and the USA when it comes to health and
ethnicity. Ethnicity is a determinant of health and inequalities. There is a breach between ethnic
groups when it comes to health. Mostly the lower social class has depraved health compared to a
higher social class. Blacks will fall into the lower social class; all in all black ethnic groups are
going to continue to have the worst health due to their choices. It will not enhance if they do not
have economic provision. Their lifestyles are not up too decent standards, like housing, eating
habits, not exercising, and smoking. Blacks are less likely to have good health due to the lack of
health insurance. All in all blacks are more than likely to contrast diseases compared to whites,
expect from heart disease it is shown whites are more likely to achieve this disease. Basically,
when it comes down to it there is an inequality of health among ethnic groups all over the world.
9. Ethnicity of Health and Inequalities 9
References
Easterlow, D., Smith, S., Mallinson, S. (2000) Housing for health: role of owner occupation
Housing Studies: 2000. pp. 3-58 [Online] Available at
http://learn2.winchester.ac.uk/pluginfile.php/229014/mod_resource/content/1/Housing.pdf
Murphy. L., S. (2000) Deaths: final data in 1998: National vital statistics report [Online]
Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr48/nvs48_11.pdf
Leung, G., Stanner, S. (2011) ‘Minority ethnic groups in the UK influence on chronic disease
risk’, Journal of Nutrition Bulletin, 36 (2) 161-198.
Taylor, S., Field, D. (eds) (1997). Sociology of health and health care. 2nd, Oxford, Blackwell
Science Ltd
DeNoon, D. (2005) Seven deadly diseases strike Blacks. [Online] Available at
http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/features/why-7-deadly-diseases-
strike-blacks-most?page=3.
Center for Disease and control and prevention, (2012) Heart disease fact. [Online] Available at
http://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm
