Racial and Ethnic Differences in Disease

This book presents a comprehensive account of differences in the frequencies of various diseases among a wide range of racial and ethnic groups throughout the world today. It provides epidemiologists, physicians, sociologists, and anthropologists with a methodological framework for understanding the concepts of race and ethnic group, the use of these concepts in epidemiology, and the interpretation of epidemiologic studies of disease. The volume includes information on the physical anthropology of major racial/ethnic groups, as well as chapters on genetic diseases, infectious and parasitic diseases, cardiovascular diseases, cancers, and many other chronic disorders. Each chapter provides descriptive information on the relative frequencies of diseases and the methods used in studies, as well as a systematic discussion of the interpretation of the racial and ethnic differences described, which may arise from such factors as errors in measurement or socioeconomic differences between groups. Genetic and biological factors are also considered, and many individual studies are summarized and critically appraised. The text is ideal for graduates and undergraduates alike, while the authors non-technical approach is easily accessible to general readers with an interest in the subject.