Sociocultural Environments and Health Disparities Research Book Chapter

Amaro, H, Garcia, S, Arnaudova, I et al. (2021). Sociocultural Environments and Health Disparities Research . 77-93. 10.1002/9781119374855.ch5

cited authors

  • Amaro, H; Garcia, S; Arnaudova, I; Jolles, MP

abstract

  • This chapter discusses selective sociocultural environment elements that are key to the understanding and reduction of health disparities, as well as being prime areas for future research. These factors include culture, racism, and interconnection between race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status. Next, we discuss the state of knowledge, limitations, and directions for future research with respect to three sociocultural factors (social capital, cultural and communication factors in the context of healthcare, and implicit bias) and their potential to inform strategies for health equity. A significant body of knowledge exists on how larger societal cultural factors, such as structural racism, cultural racism, income inequality, implicit bias, and access to certain social networks yield health inequities. However, key questions remain as to how and when health disparities develop and how the various health domains and levels of influence interact to produce them through the lifespan. Ultimately, research on health disparities needs to move beyond epidemiological description and instead focus on promising and scalable interventions at various levels of influence (e.g., societal systems, institutional policies, community, and individual) that produce societal and population level changes that result in health equity.

publication date

  • January 1, 2021

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

start page

  • 77

end page

  • 93