1. Religion and Disparities: Considering the Influences of Islam on the Health of American Muslims.
- Author
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Padela, Aasim and Curlin, Farr
- Subjects
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ISLAM , *ATTITUDE (Psychology) , *CONCEPTUAL structures , *GROUP identity , *PSYCHOLOGY & religion , *RESEARCH funding , *HEALTH equity , *CULTURAL competence - Abstract
Both theory and data suggest that religions shape the way individuals interpret and seek help for their illnesses. Yet, health disparities research has rarely examined the influence of a shared religion on the health of individuals from distinct minority communities. In this paper, we focus on Islam and American Muslims to outline the ways in which a shared religion may impact the health of a racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse minority community. We use Kleinman's 'cultural construction of clinical reality' as a theoretical framework to interpret the extant literature on American Muslim health. We then propose a research agenda that would extend current disparities research to include measures of religiosity, particularly among populations that share a minority religious affiliation. The research we propose would provide a fuller understanding of the relationships between religion and health among Muslim Americans and other minority communities and would thereby undergird efforts to reduce unwarranted health disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2013
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