The social origins of ethnic inequalities in health

1
The social origins of ethnic inequalities in
health

• James Nazroo
• University College London

2
Why is there a research interest in ethnic
inequalities in health?

• Aetiological investigations
• Monitoring
• Access to appropriate treatment
• Investigating inequalities in health
• Concern with ethnic disadvantage, racialisation
  and social inequalities health as a component of
  wider disadvantage

3
Understanding ethnic inequalities in health

• Economic inequalities
• Employment, under-employment and unemployment
• Income
• Wealth
• Housing
• Area deprivation
• Social status
• Experiences of discrimination
• Experience of racist events
• Institutional discrimination
• Cultural capital

4
Dealing with ethnic inequalities in health

• Economic and institutional change
• Economic reform redistribution, education and
  employment
• Institutional changes
• Supporting and building communities

5
Pakistani man, aged mid 60s

• I So you go to the Mosque at 3 in the morning?
• R 3.30am ... I go and open the doors, I get
  there first At every prayer the Mosque is
  very close down there (inaudible) it is about
  five minutes. I open the doors for all five
  prayers.
• Later in the interview.
• R We bought the Mosque as a factory, there
  were small rooms we knocked them down and made a
  big hall. These others have been newly built, the
  land was bought and they were made but the Sufi
  Abdullah one (inaudible), there is one on
  Belgrave Road, Jammia Masjid, the one that was
  built first. There are many Mosques, there are
  many facilities the children go to read there.
• I You have started Madrasas (schools for
  religious education)?
• R Yes Madrasas. We have Allahs blessing every
  thing is very nice.

ESRC Growing Older Programme
6
Dealing with ethnic inequalities in health

• Economic and institutional change
• Supporting and building communities / integration
  and dispersal
• Devalued or empowered social identities
• Collaborative partnerships between the statutory
  sector and the local community
• Shifts in power how are problems and solutions
  defined?
• Social capital bonding and bridging
• The significance of historic, economic and local
  context