scholarly journals ‘It’s possibly made us feel a little more alienated’: How people from ethnic minority communities conceptualise COVID-19 and its influence on engagement with testing

2022 ◽  
pp. 135581962110549
Author(s):  
Tushna Vandrevala ◽  
Lailah Alidu ◽  
Jane Hendy ◽  
Shuja Shafi ◽  
Aftab Ala
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Minority ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Minority Groups ◽  
Cultural Beliefs ◽  
Ethnic Minority Groups ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Asian Ethnicity ◽  
Black African ◽  
South Asian Ethnicity ◽  
The Uk

Objectives The cultural beliefs, practices and experiences of ethnic minority groups, alongside structural inequalities and the political economy play a critical, but overlooked role in health promotion. This study aimed to understand how ethnic minority groups in the United Kingdom conceptualised COVID-19 and how this influenced engagement in testing. Method Black (African and Caribbean) and South Asian (Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi) community members were purposefully recruited from across the UK. Fifty-seven semi-structured interviews were conducted and analysed using principles of grounded theory. Results We found that people of Black and South Asian ethnicity conceptualised COVID-19 as a disease that makes them visible to others outside their community and was seen as having more severe risk and suffering worse consequences, resulting in fear, stigmatisation and alienation. Views about COVID-19 were embedded in cultural beliefs, relating to culturally specific ideas around disease, such as ill-health being God’s will. Challenges brought about by the pandemic were conceptualised as one of many struggles, with the saliency of the virus contextualised against life experiences. These themes and others influenced engagement with COVID-19 testing. Testing was less about accessing timely and effective treatment for themselves and more about acting to protect the family and community. Testing symbolised a loss of income, anxiety and isolation, accentuated by issues of mistrust of the system and not being valued, or being treated unfairly. Conclusion Health communications should focus on counterbalancing the mistrust, alienation and stigmatisation that act as barriers to testing, with trust built using local credible sources.

scholarly journals It's possibly made us feel a little more alienated: How people from ethnic minority communities conceptualise COVID-19 and its influence on engagement with testing.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tushna F Vandrevala ◽  
Lailah Alidu ◽  
Jane Hendy ◽  
Shuja Shafi ◽  
Aftab Ala
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Minority ◽  
Minority Groups ◽  
South Asians ◽  
Cultural Beliefs ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Community Members ◽  
The Family ◽  
Testing Uptake ◽  
The Will ◽  
The Uk

Objectives:The cultural beliefs, practices and experiences of ethnic minority groups, alongside structural inequalities and the political economy play a critical, but overlooked role in health promotion. The current study aims to address this deficit, understanding how these groups conceptualise COVID–19, and how this influences engagement in testing, with the future aim of developing targeted communications to address the challenges of testing uptake. Method:Black (African and Caribbean) and South (Asian Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi) community members were purposefully recruited across the UK. Fifty seven semi–structured interviews were conducted and analysed using principles of Grounded Theory. Results:The findings illustrate that Black and South Asians conceptualise COVID–19 as a disease that makes them visible to others outside their community, in having more severe risk and suffering worst consequences, resulting in fear, stigmatisation and alienation. Views about COVID-19 were embedded in cultural beliefs, relating to culturally specific ideas around disease, such as ill-health being the will of God. Challenges brought about by the pandemic were conceptualised as one of many struggles, with the saliency of the virus contextualised against life experiences. These themes and others influenced engagement with COVID–19 testing. Testing was less about accessing timely and effective treatment for themselves, and more about acting to protect the family and community. Testing symbolised a loss of income, anxiety and isolation, accentuated by issues of mistrust of the system, and not being valued, or being treated unfairly. Conclusion:In tackling these challenges, we conclude that health communications should focus on counterbalancing the mistrust, alienation and stigmatisation that act as barriers to testing, with trust built using local credible sources.

scholarly journals Community-centred interventions for improving public mental health among adults from ethnic minority populations in the UK: a scoping review

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. e041102
Author(s):  
Cleo Baskin ◽  
Geiske Zijlstra ◽  
Mike McGrath ◽  
Caroline Lee ◽  
Fiona Helen Duncan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Ethnic Minority ◽  
Minority Groups ◽  
Public Mental Health ◽  
Risk Of Bias ◽  
Minority Populations ◽  
Ethnic Minority Groups ◽  
Ethnic Minority Populations ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Intervention Description

ObjectivesUndertake a scoping review to determine the effectiveness of community-centred interventions designed to improve the mental health and well-being of adults from ethnic minority groups in the UK.MethodsWe searched six electronic academic databases for studies published between January 1990 and September 2019: Medline, Embase, PsychINFO, Scopus, CINAHL and Cochrane. For intervention description and data extraction we used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews checklist and Template for Intervention Description and Replication guide. Quality was assessed using Cochrane risk of bias tools. Grey literature results were deemed beyond the scope of this review due to the large number of interventions and lack of available outcomes data.ResultsOf 4501 studies, 7 met the eligibility criteria of UK-based community interventions targeting mental health in adults from ethnic minority populations: four randomised controlled trials, one pre/post-pilot study, one cross-sectional study and one ethnographic study. Interventions included therapy-style sessions, peer-support groups, educational materials, gym access and a family services programme. Common components included a focus on tackling social isolation, using lay health workers from within the community, signposting and overcoming structural barriers to access. Four studies reported a statistically significant positive effect on mental health outcomes and six were appraised as having a high risk of bias. Study populations were ethnically heterogeneous and targeted people mainly from South Asia. No studies examined interventions targeting men.ConclusionsThere is a paucity of high-quality evidence regarding community-centred interventions focused on improving public mental health among ethnic minority groups. Decision makers need scientific evidence to inform effective approaches to mitigating health disparities. Our next steps are to map promising community activities and interventions that are currently being provided to help identify emerging evidence.

scholarly journals Ethnic Minority Groups’ Experiences of Suicide Bereavement: A Qualitative Exploratory Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (22) ◽  
pp. 11860
Author(s):  
Pauline Rivart ◽  
Verity Wainwright ◽  
Sandra Flynn ◽  
Isabelle M. Hunt ◽  
Jenny Shaw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Minority ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Minority Groups ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
Free Text ◽  
Ethnic Minority Groups ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Mental Health Awareness ◽  
Suicide Bereavement ◽  
The Uk

It is estimated that between 36,000 and 360,000 people are affected by suicide every year in the UK, and a proportion may develop depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, or engage in high-risk behaviours. Recent systematic analyses have revealed a clear gap in research on suicide bereavement in minority ethnic groups. This study aimed to understand the experiences and support needs of individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds bereaved by suicide and was the first in the UK to investigate this matter. The study was a secondary analysis of data. Participants were 7158 people residing in the UK who completed an online survey about their experiences of suicide. Free-text qualitative responses of 227 participants who did not identify as White British were analysed using thematic analysis. Four themes were identified: maladaptive coping strategies, emotional processes following suicide, lack of support from agencies, and the importance of mental health awareness. Ethnic minority groups reported a lack of support despite attempts to engage with services, noted the prevalence of stigma within ethnic minority groups, and expressed a need to tackle this. These preliminary results suggest that ethnic minority individuals require visible and accessible services that can successfully engage with and support them.

scholarly journals Postmodernism, ethnicity, and celebrity culture in women’s symbolic consumption

2019 ◽  
Vol 62 (5) ◽  
pp. 561-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayantunji Gbadamosi
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Minority ◽  
Minority Groups ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
African Women ◽  
Specific Reference ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Symbolic Consumption ◽  
Black African ◽  
Celebrity Culture ◽  
The Uk

Although postmodernism and celebrity culture are closely linked, research attention on this has not been adequately synthesized with ethnic minority groups. Hence, this article, which is rooted in an interpretive research paradigm, explores the symbolic consumption of Black African women in the UK with specific reference to celebrity culture. Although the study shows some purchase decisions based on products’ functionality, generally, it shows the robust interplay of personal, cultural, social, and commercial factors in the symbolic consumption of these women. This is shown to be linked to the prevalent celebrity culture in the society. They consume to enhance their self-esteem and keep up with the societal trend in the host environment. Hence, the notion of acculturation features prominently in their consumption. The article extends the discourse on the extant ethnic minority studies and augments the current knowledge about symbolic consumption especially with reference to Black African women.

scholarly journals Do sex differences in the prevalence of ECG abnormalities vary across ethnic groups living in the Netherlands? A cross-sectional analysis of the population-based HELIUS study

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. e039091
Author(s):  
Renee Bolijn ◽  
C Cato ter Haar ◽  
Ralf E Harskamp ◽  
Hanno L Tan ◽  
Jan A Kors ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
Ethnic Minority ◽  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Minority Groups ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Secondary Outcome ◽  
Ethnic Minority Groups ◽  
Ecg Abnormalities

ObjectivesMajor ECG abnormalities have been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) burden in asymptomatic populations. However, sex differences in occurrence of major ECG abnormalities have been poorly studied, particularly across ethnic groups. The objectives were to investigate (1) sex differences in the prevalence of major and, as a secondary outcome, minor ECG abnormalities, (2) whether patterns of sex differences varied across ethnic groups, by age and (3) to what extent conventional cardiovascular risk factors contributed to observed sex differences.DesignCross-sectional analysis of population-based study.SettingMulti-ethnic, population-based Healthy Life in an Urban Setting cohort, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.Participants8089 men and 11 369 women of Dutch, South-Asian Surinamese, African Surinamese, Ghanaian, Turkish and Moroccan origin aged 18–70 years without CVD.Outcome measuresAge-adjusted and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to study sex differences in prevalence of major and, as secondary outcome, minor ECG abnormalities in the overall population, across ethnic groups and by age-groups (18–35, 36–50 and >50 years).ResultsMajor and minor ECG abnormalities were less prevalent in women than men (4.6% vs 6.6% and 23.8% vs 39.8%, respectively). After adjustment for conventional risk factors, sex differences in major abnormalities were smaller in ethnic minority groups (OR ranged from 0.61 in Moroccans to 1.32 in South-Asian Surinamese) than in the Dutch (OR 0.49; 95% CI 0.36 to 0.65). Only in South-Asian Surinamese, women did not have a lower odds than men (OR 1.32; 95% CI 0.96 to 1.84). The pattern of smaller sex differences in ethnic minority groups was more pronounced in older than in younger age-groups.ConclusionsThe prevalence of major ECG abnormalities was lower in women than men. However, sex differences were less apparent in ethnic minority groups. Conventional risk factors did not contribute substantially to observed sex differences.

scholarly journals Constructing im/migrants and ethnic minority groups as ‘carriers of disease’: Power effects of categorization practices in tuberculosis health reporting in the UK and Germany

Ethnicities ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 518-534
Author(s):  
Hella von Unger ◽  
Penelope Scott ◽  
Dennis Odukoya
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Minority ◽  
Minority Groups ◽  
Epidemiological Data ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
Health Reporting ◽  
Ethnic Minority Groups ◽  
Core Feature ◽  
The Uk

Migration- and ethnicity-related categories are a core feature of public health systems internationally, particularly in health reporting on communicable infectious diseases. The specific categories and classifications used differ from country to country and are subject to controversy and change. The article compares categorization practices in health reporting in the UK and Germany with regard to tuberculosis. Tuberculosis has been framed as a ‘migrants’ disease’ in recent decades and new categories were introduced to collect and report epidemiological data. We reconstruct the genesis, change and power effects of categories related to im/migrants and ethnic minority groups. In both countries, migration-related categorizations entail constructions of im/migrants as ‘carriers of disease’. However, the categories also connect with discourses on human rights, prevention, treatment and care for migrants as vulnerable groups. While this ambivalent role of migration-related categories is not unique to health statistics, the potential contribution to processes of ‘othering’ and politics of exclusion seem particularly imminent in the context of communicable diseases such as tuberculosis. Ethnicity categories used in the UK, but not in Germany, also contribute to othering through racialization and culturalization, yet at the same time provide opportunities for community participation in the discourse.

scholarly journals “Data makes the story come to life.” Understanding the ethical and legal implications of Big Data research involving ethnic minority healthcare workers: a qualitative study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward S. Dove ◽  
Ruby Reed-Berendt ◽  
Manish Pareek
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Big Data ◽  
Ethnic Minority ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Minority Groups ◽  
Significant Implication ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Uk

The aim of UK-REACH (“The United Kingdom Research study into Ethnicity And COVID-19 outcomes in Healthcare workers”) is to understand if, how, and why healthcare workers (HCWs) in the UK from ethnic minority groups are at increased risk of poor outcomes from COVID-19. In this article, we present findings from Work Package 3, the ethico-legal stream, which undertook qualitative research seeking to understand and address legal, ethical, and social acceptability issues around data protection, privacy, and information governance associated with the linkage of HCWs’ registration data and healthcare data. We interviewed 22 key opinion leaders in healthcare and health research from across the UK in two-to-one semi-structured interviews. Transcripts were manually coded using qualitative thematic analysis. Participants told us that a significant implication across all stages of Big Data research in public health are drivers of mistrust – of the research itself, research staff and funders, and broader concerns of mistrust within participant communities, particularly in the context of COVID-19 and those situated in more marginalised community settings. However, despite the challenges, participants also identified ways in which legally compliant and ethically informed approaches to research can be crafted to mitigate or overcome mistrust and establish confidence in Big Data public health research. Overall, our research indicates that a “Big Data Ethics by Design” approach can help assure 1) that meaningful engagement is taking place and that extant challenges are addressed, and 2) that any new challenges or hitherto unknown unknowns can be rapidly and properly considered to ensure potential (but material) harms are identified and minimised where necessary. Our findings indicate such an approach, in turn, will help drive better scientific breakthroughs that translate into medical innovations and effective public health interventions, which benefit the publics studied.

scholarly journals Ethnic differences in COVID-19 infection, hospitalisation, and mortality: an OpenSAFELY analysis of 17 million adults in England

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rohini Mathur ◽  
Christopher T. Rentsch ◽  
Caroline Morton ◽  
William J Hulme ◽  
Anna Schultze ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Minority ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Ethnic Differences ◽  
Minority Groups ◽  
Household Size ◽  
Ethnic Minority Groups ◽  
Icu Admission ◽  
Explanatory Factors ◽  
Clinical Records ◽  
White Adults

Background: COVID-19 has had a disproportionate impact on ethnic minority populations, both in the UK and internationally. To date, much of the evidence has been derived from studies within single healthcare settings, mainly those hospitalised with COVID-19. Working on behalf of NHS England, the aim of this study was to identify ethnic differences in the risk of COVID-19 infection, hospitalisation and mortality using a large general population cohort in England. Methods: We conducted an observational cohort study using linked primary care records of 17.5 million adults between 1 February 2020 and 3 August 2020. Exposure was self-reported ethnicity collapsed into the 5 and 16 ethnicity categories of the English Census. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression was used to identify ethnic differences in the risk of being tested and testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection, COVID-19 related intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and COVID-19 mortality, adjusted for socio-demographic factors, clinical co-morbidities, geographic region, care home residency, and household size. Results: A total of 17,510,002 adults were included in the study; 63% white (n=11,030,673), 6% south Asian (n=1,034,337), 2% black (n=344,889), 2% other (n=324,730), 1% mixed (n=172,551), and 26% unknown (n=4,602,822). After adjusting for measured explanatory factors, south Asian, black, and mixed groups were marginally more likely to be tested (south Asian HR 1.08, 95%CI 1.07-1.09; black HR 1.08; 95%CI 1.06-1.09, mixed HR 1.03, 95%CI 1.01-1.05), and substantially more likely to test positive for SARS-CoV-2 compared with white adults (south Asian HR 2.02. 95% CI 1.97-2.07; black HR 1.68, 95%CI 1.61-1.76; mixed HR 1.46, 95%CI 1.36-1.56). The risk of being admitted to ICU for COVID-19 was substantially increased in all ethnic minority groups compared with white adults (south Asian HR 2.22, 95%CI 1.96-2.52; black HR 3.07, 95%CI 2.61-3.61; mixed HR 2.86, 95%CI 2.19-3.75, other HR 2.86, 95%CI 2.31-3.63). Risk of COVID-19 mortality was increased by 25-56% in ethnic minority groups compared with white adults (south Asian HR 1.27, 95%CI 1.17-1.38; black HR 1.55, 95%CI 1.38-1.75; mixed HR 1.40, 95%CI 1.12-1.76; other HR 1.25, 95%CI 1.05-1.49). We observed heterogeneity of associations after disaggregation into detailed ethnic groupings; Indian and African groups were at higher risk of all outcomes; Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Caribbean groups were less or equally likely to be tested for SARS-CoV-2, but at higher risk of all other outcomes, Chinese groups were less likely to be tested for and test positive for SARS-CoV-2, more likely to be admitted to ICU, and equally likely to die from COVID-19. Conclusions: We found evidence of substantial ethnic inequalities in the risk of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2, ICU admission, and mortality, which persisted after accounting for explanatory factors, including household size. It is likely that some of this excess risk is related to factors not captured in clinical records such as occupation, experiences of structural discrimination, or inequitable access to health and social services. Prioritizing linkage between health, social care, and employment data and engaging with ethnic minority communities to better understand their lived experiences is essential for generating evidence to prevent further widening of inequalities in a timely and actionable manner.

scholarly journals Explaining ethnic differentials in COVID-19 mortality: cohort study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
G David Batty ◽  
Bamba Gaye ◽  
Catharine R Gale ◽  
Mark Hamer ◽  
Camille Lassale
Keyword(s):  
Cohort Study ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Social Factors ◽  
Minority Groups ◽  
Black Study ◽  
Uk Biobank ◽  
Ethnic Minority Groups ◽  
Explanatory Factors ◽  
National Mortality ◽  
The Uk

Abstract Ethnic inequalities in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) hospitalizations and mortality have been widely reported but there is scant understanding of how they are embodied. The UK Biobank prospective cohort study comprises around half a million people who were aged 40-69 years at study induction between 2006 and 2010 when information on ethnic background and potential explanatory factors was captured. Study members were prospectively linked to a national mortality registry. In an analytical sample of 448,664 individuals (248,820 women), 705 deaths were ascribed to COVID-19 between 5th March, 2020 and 24th January, 2021. In age- and sex-adjusted analyses, relative to White participants, Black study members experienced around five times the risk of COVID-19 mortality (odds ratio; 95% confidence interval: 4.81; 3.28, 7.05), while there was a doubling in the South Asian group (2.05; 1.30, 3.25). Controlling for baseline comorbidities, social factors (including socioeconomic circumstances), and lifestyle indices attenuated this risk differential by 34% in Black study members (2.84; 1.91, 4.23) and 37% in South Asian individuals (1.57; 0.97, 2.55). The residual risk of COVID-19 deaths in ethnic minority groups may be ascribed to a range of unmeasured characteristics and requires further exploration.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document