Explaining Mental Health Treatment Disparities: Ethnic and Cultural Differences in Family Involvement

In a large, representative sample of persons receiving public mental health treatment, we examined whether ethnic minority consumers were more likely than white consumers to live with their families and to receive family support. We then evaluated whether differences observed in family involvement explained treatment disparities observed in outpatient and inpatient mental health services. Results indicated that Asian American and Latino consumers, especially, were considerably more likely than white consumers to live with family members and to receive family support. Ethnocultural differences in living with family did explain treatment intensity disparities whether or not consumers described themselves as dependent on family support. The results support the hypothesis that cultural differences in family involvement and support play a role in explaining mental health treatment disparities.     

A new semiterpenoid glycoside and a new benzofuran derivative glycoside from the roots of Heracleum dissectum

A new semiterpenoid glycoside, 3-methylbutan-1, 3-diol-1-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (1) and a new benzofuran derivative glycoside, 6-carboxylethyl-benzofuran-5-O-β-d-xylopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-β-d-glucopyranoside (2), together with seven known compounds (3-9) were isolated from the roots of Heracleum dissectum Ledeb. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of physicochemical properties and the detailed interpretation of various spectroscopic data. All the isolated compounds were screened for anti-inflammatory activity in vitro. And the result showed that compound 2 exhibited significantly inhibitory activity on nitric oxide production in RAW264.7 cells, which IC₅₀ value was equivalent to that of the positive control indomethacin.     

Reconfiguring Uyghurness in multilingualism: an internal migration perspective

This qualitative inquiry investigates how the experiences of learning and using multiple languages influenced the transformation of self-perceived ethnic identities in a group of tertiary-level Uyghur minority students in the context of internal migration in China. Data analysis showed that the majority of Uyghur participants developed a greater affinity with and attachment to their ethnic group by emphasizing the language differences between Uyghur and the dominant Han in intercultural encountering. However, they gradually probed into the meaning of “being Uyghur” in the receiving community. Participants following mother tongue and Chinese educational paradigms were found to offer contrastive answers to the question “what should be the distinguishing features of being Uyghur?”. It was further found that learning English as a third language enabled participants to develop a positive personal ethnic identity by enhancing their understanding of ethnicity and its associations with its constituent elements. We conclude with suggestions for relevant stakeholders.     

A metrical comparison of maxillary first premolar form

In a study of maxillary right first premolar morphology, multivariate analysis showed varying degree of separation between four human ethnic groups depending upon the actual metrical profile included in the analysis. Such ethnic discriminations were not possible from visual inspection or univariate analysis of individual crown diameters. Although the interpretation of such ethnic contrasts remains obscure, this study demonstrated the potential of multivariate statistical techniques in the investigation of odontometric data.     

Colonial to modern skeletal change in the U.S.A.

Eighty-two people dating from 1675 to 1879 compared with 182 modern middle-class White and Black skeletons test the myths of radical changes produced by improved diet, less disease, and nineteenth century immigration. Longevity increases and health and growth improvement is clearest in reduced juvenile deaths (census data) and deepening of true pelvis. Stature increase is minimal (though seventeenth century Londoners and modern West Africans are shorter than Colonial to Modern Americans); teeth deteriorate and for cultural reasons fractures increase. Clavicles and forearms elongate. From Old to New World Colonial samples there is a noticeable skull change (and a greater Old World to Modern contrast) but White Colonial to Modern shows strong continuity surprisingly, the key changes being increasing head height, and retraction of face with increasing nose projection, and longer mastoids, resulting from selection and mixture. Blacks change more, possibly from Indian and White mixture. Variabilities are above average. Change is much less than expected, and apparently involves heterosis and selection as well as the obvious health advance and mixtures.     

The Chipaya of Bolivia: Dermatoglyphics and ethnic relationships

Dermatoglyphic data on 15 traits (digital arches, digital radial loops, digital ulnar loops, digital whorls, I loops, I_r loops, H loops, ? loops, III loops, IV loops, mainline C absence, total ridge count, a-b ridge count, atd angle, and mainline index) are presented for 141 Chipaya Indians of Bolivia. Ethnic relationships of these Indians to nine South American Indian tribes (Alacaluf, Atacameño, Aymara, Cashinahua, Chácobo, Chama, Chané, Quechua, and Sirionó) are explored by means of a genetic distance analysis using 21 alleles. Genetic distances are complemented with linguistic and geographic distances between the Chipaya and the other tribes. Genetic distances were found not to be significantly correlated with linguistic and geographic distances. Combining the information available, it is concluded that the Chipaya are most likely ethnically related to the Arawak speakers of the tropical forest.     

云南23个少数民族人群腺苷酸激酶(AK1)多态分布调查

采用淀粉凝胶电泳法,对云南彝、白、哈尼、壮、傣、苗、傈僳、回、拉祜、佤、纳西、瑶、藏、景颇、布朗、普米、怒、阿昌、德昂、基诺、布依、独龙和苦聪人等23个少数民族人群的红细胞腺苷酸激酶(AK1)的多态分布进行了调查。结果,在23个人群中均未检出AK21纯合子。但在彝、回、景颇、布朗、怒和德昂6个民族中检出了AK21杂合子,AK21基因频率在这6个民族中的分布在0.0045-0.0446之间,其中,仅回族的AK21基因达多态水平。 Abstract:The investigation on the distribution of adenylate kinase(AK1)polyorphism in 23 ethnic groups in Yunnan province of China,including the minorities of Yi,Bai,Hani,Zhuang,Dai,Miao,Lisu,Hui,Lahu,Wa,Naxi,Yao,Tibetan,Jingro,Bulang,Pumi,Nu,Achang,Deang,Jino,Buyi,Dulong and Kucong people,was carried out,using starch gel electrophoresis.The results showed that no AK21,homozygote and other variations were found.But AK21 heterozygotes were found in the minorities of Yi,Hui,Jingpo,Bulang,Nu and Deang.The ranges of AK21 gene frequencies were 0.0045-0.0446.     

Effectiveness of patient-targeted interventions to promote cancer screening among ethnic minorities: A systematic review

BackgroundCancer is a major public health problem due to its incidence, morbidity and mortality. A large proportion of cancer cases and deaths could be prevented through the implementation of cancer screening programmes. However, there are social inequalities in patient access to these programmes, especially in underserved communities and minority populations.ObjectiveTo identify, characterise and analyse the effectiveness of patient-targeted healthcare interventions to promote cancer screening programmes in ethnic minorities.MethodsA comprehensive search of bibliographic databases was conducted. The results of our systematic review were reported in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines.ResultsSeventeen articles were identified and included in the review. Sixteen of the seventeen studies were conducted in the United States and one was conducted in Israel. Fifteen of the seventeen interventions selected were effective in increasing cancer screening rates. Moreover, five of the seventeen studies found an improvement in cancer knowledge, awareness, self-efficacy, attitudes, intention and perceptions, and three studies found a positive change in health beliefs and barriers. The results show that culturally adapted interventions appear to increase the rate of participation in cancer screening. In addition, the effectiveness of the interventions seems to be related to the use of small media, one-on-one interactions, small group education sessions, reminder strategies, and strategies for reducing structural barriers and out-of-pocket costs.ConclusionCulturally adapted patient-targeted healthcare interventions can help to reduce racial or ethnic inequalities in access to cancer screening programmes. Further research is needed to develop interventions to promote adherence to cancer screening programmes with repeat testing and vigorous economic evaluation methodologies.     

Fifteenth Century Problems for the Twenty-First Century Gift: Human Tissue Transactions in Ethnically Diverse Societies

The language of the ‘gift’ continues to be drawn upon in attempts to encourage altruistic organ and tissue donation. My aim here is to consider the anxieties that come into focus when this rhetoric is deployed in the context of ethnic minorities and, moreover, their donation practices are situated within universalistic discourses of charity and the gift. The article considers ideas of the body, debt, obligation, relationality, and solidarity, and how these fit within the overarching projects of society, modernity, and democracy when the market figures as an ever more prominent feature of such projects. Drawing on a variety of examples, the piece reflects on the movement of tissue across ethnically and culturally marked corporeal boundaries and highlights the tensions that arise from refusal as well as acceptance of such transactions.     

Anthropology: The Empire on which the Sun Never Sets

Questions and debates about the end of anthropology are highlighted here for their potential value in revealing what the ‘crisis talk’ in the discipline really means, and what it may be masking. In this article the reader is invited to reflect on several questions: about anthropology as a discipline or as a praxis; about how anthropology can be not just revitalised, but revolutionised; about the place of ethnography in anthropology; and about the quest for distinction and the accumulation of disciplinary capital. More broadly, this article deals with the restructuring of anthropology within a context of continued imperialism.