Culture, Ethnicity and Chronic Conditions: a global synthesis
Ethnicity & Health invites the submission of abstracts for papers for a special themed edition of the journal on the interface between culture, ethnicity and chronic conditions across global settings. The special issue will be published in 2013 and will be edited by Dr Ama de-Graft Aikins (London School of Economics and Political Science/University of Ghana), Dr Charles Agyemang (University of Amsterdam), Dr Emma Pitchforth (London School of Economics and Political Science), DrOlugbenga Ogedegbe (New York University) and Professor Pascale Allotey (Monash University, Malaysia).
The global burden of chronic non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancers, has a significant impact on Africa, Asia and Latin America compared to the rich western world. The pattern persists in African and Asian migrant populations in European and North American countries, despite the higher standards of living and improved health infrastructure. The key factors underpinning the global burden of chronic diseases are known: rapid urbanisation, ageing populations, globalization, poor lifestyle practices and poverty.However, in resource poor countries where health systems struggle to address a cumulative burden of infectious and chronic diseases, and where chronic disease research, intervention and policies are limited, the solutions are much more complex. Cultural and ethnic systems and processes mediate lay responses to risk, disease experiences and health seeking practices, in unpredictable ways, particularly in the absence of robust structural solutions.We need a better understanding of what can be done to slow and reverse the rising burden of chronic diseases in these contexts.
You are invited to submit high quality quantitative and qualitative research papers which
- explore chronic conditions within the context of resource constrained countries
- focus on migration and chronic conditions within diasporas
- shed light onobserved ethnic inequalities among migrant and host populations in rich western countries
- add understanding to how diverse communities respond to chronic disease risk and experience and how cultural and ethnic processes mediate
- offer insights on successful and sustainable interventions and policies that work for at risk populations
The emphasis of the collection will be on deep analysis on the interconnections between culture, ethnicity and chronic diseases and on research and policy analyses for global engagement. Papers should be original and not published elsewhere. They can include reports of clinical research and practice, public health interventions, and systematic reviews of published research on chronic disease experiences and interventionsas long as they offer rigorous conceptual and empirical approaches. Cross-cultural and international comparative studies or reviews will be particularly important to provide insights into the determinants and consequences of culture and ethnicity in chronic disease experiences and care that transcend boundaries of local community, country or region.
Submitting abstracts
To propose a paper for this special issue, please send an abstract,300 words maximum, by August 1st 2011toAma de-Graft Aikins at and Charles Agyemang at . After editorial review, authors will be notified whether or not their abstract has been selected by September 15th 2011. The submission deadline for full papers will be December 15th2011.All papers will be subject to anonymous peer review.