Health And Social Research In Multiethnic Societies

Issues of ethnic diversity are increasingly important in modern society and reducing inequalities in service provision is a key target of government agencies. James Nazroo provides an accessible and straightforward guide to good practice in conducting health and social research in modern multiracial societies.

A thought-provoking handbook for practitioners, students and trainers in the mental health field. Addresses controversial issues and offers revealing insights and intelligent suggestions for all those involved with mental health.

First published: Ethnicity, race and health in multicultural societies, 2007.

Most of the industrialized world now comprises of multi-ethnic societies, with people from widely varying ancestry, cultures, languages, and beliefs. With globalization of trade, increasing international travel, and migration, the whole world is destined to become multi-ethnic within the next 20 or 30 years. This poses huge challenges for doctors, nurses, public health practitioners, health care managers, and policy makers who have to meet legal and policy obligations to deliverhealth outcomes, and provide health care of equal quality and effectiveness. To achieve this, they need a solid understanding of the underlying concepts of race and ethnicity, and how these are applied to achieve better health for ethnic minority populations. They also need to have an awareness of themisuses of these concepts, particularly taking into account the history of racism that permeates many societies to this day.Written in non-technical language, with all terminology explained and defined, this book provides an accessible introduction to these complex issues. The key concepts of race and ethnicity are explained, including their uses and misuses. The strengths and weaknesses of these concepts in terms of epidemiology, policy making, health service planning, research, health care, and health promotion are illustrated. The book emphasises theory, ideas, and principles, and and its aims are to helpcounteract the unethical and atheoretical methods often used to study ethnicity. Practical application of the theory is demonstrated through the use of extensive examples. The conceptual frameworks of ethnicity and race required by practitioners and researchers are slightly different, including the natureof research questions, the relative value of various methods of classification, and the approach to data analysis, presentation, and interpretation, and these differences are made explicit. Overall, the interdependence of theory and practice is demonstrated, making this and ideal foundation text or refresher for those involved in race and ethnicity from a health care perspective.

This comprehensive Handbook provides a unique overview of the key issues and challenges facing society and social policy in the twenty-first century, discussing how welfare is conceptualised, organised and delivered in contemporary global society. Chapters engage with specific areas of social policy as well as with the social divisions and institutional infrastructures that underpin them. The Handbook also considers how social policy should respond to the challenges posed by austerity, human migration and the climate crisis.

Why are some societies more successful than others at promoting individual and collective well-being? This book integrates recent research in social epidemiology with broader perspectives in social science to explore why some societies are more successful than others at securing population health. It explores the social roots of health inequalities, arguing that inequalities in health are based not only on economic inequalities, but on the structure of social relations. It develops sophisticated perspectives on social relations, which emphasize the ways in which cultural frameworks as well as institutions condition people's health. It reports on research into health inequalities in the developed and developing worlds, covering a wide range of national case studies, and into the ways in which social relations condition the effectiveness of public policies aimed at improving health.

′[This book] merits attention for bringing together diverse facets of mixed methods research usage in a single volume....[It] provide[s] good coverage of the subject offering the reader command over this newly emerging research approach in social science research′ - Social Research Association In this eagerly-anticipated new text, a range of internationally-renowned experts draw on their extensive experience to provide a practical and accessible guide to the wide span of methods used in health research. Researching Health covers the background to conducting health research, qualitative and quantitative methods employed in researching health, contemporary issues such as research ethics, comparative research and the use of mixed methods, and how to disseminate health research. As such, it provides the perfect package to help readers carry out their own research projects and use the research of others more effectively in their work. Key features: - comprehensive coverage of the range of methods available - brings readers fully up-to-date on topical issues and research - packed with pedagogical features including: case studies, health-related exercises, chapter summaries, annotated further reading, and a full glossary - supported by an interactive companion website with an instructors′ manual and PowerPoint slides for lecturers, and datasets, links to relevant websites, online reading, and an online glossary for students. (The companion website can now be accessed from here or by clicking on the ′companion website′ logo above)