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), Dr Olugbenga
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 on observed 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 interventions as 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
2011 to Ama de-Graft Aikins at a.de-graft-aikins@lse.ac.uk and Charles Agyemang at
c.o.agyemang@amc.uva.nl. 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 15th 2011. All papers will be subject to anonymous peer review.