Policy and Politics, 19(3), July 1991, pp.159-165.
Publisher:
Policy Press
Successful community care in a multi-racial society cannot rely mainly on an understanding of black users views but must also study appropriate organisation and provision of community services.
Successful community care in a multi-racial society cannot rely mainly on an understanding of black users views but must also study appropriate organisation and provision of community services.
Subject terms:
social care provision, user views, black and minority ethnic people, community care;
HMSO/University of York. Social Policy Research Unit
Publication year:
1993
Pagination:
103p.,tables,bibliog.
Place of publication:
London
Reviews a mix of empirical studies and explores the policy assumptions implicit in service provision for black and white minorities. Draws together material on community care in multi-racial Britain and outlines a research agenda relevant to current policy concerns.
Reviews a mix of empirical studies and explores the policy assumptions implicit in service provision for black and white minorities. Draws together material on community care in multi-racial Britain and outlines a research agenda relevant to current policy concerns.
Extended abstract:
ATKIN Karl, ROLLINGS Janet. Community care in a multi-racial Britain: a critical review of the literature. HMSO/University of York. Social Policy Research Unit, 1993.
Summary
Community Care in a Multi-Racial Britain, by reviewing existing literature on community care and black communities, gives coherence to a fragmented literature, illustrates gaps in present understanding and generates a research agenda relevant to current policy concerns. The book reviews a mix of empirical studies and policy debates emerging from the literature, thereby examining the experience of community care within black communities and delivery of service support to black people. The phrase "black minorities" used in this review refers to people of Asian and Afro/Caribbean origin.
Context
With an estimated 2.57 million black people living in this country, Britain is a multi-racial society. Those responsible for planning and implementing social care policy, whether they work in central government, local authorities, health authorities or the voluntary sector cannot ignore this, particularly when community care is at a crossroads, with the exact pattern of future provision uncertain. Questions concerning the range, quality and accessibility o service provision are being raised. All those involved in social care are having to re-examine their roles, responsibilities and aims, both with regard to individual users and to the process of service delivery. Race must be a part of this debate, otherwise the opportunities for efficient, effective and equitable provision will be missed.
Contents
The review is in ten parts. The introduction outlines the policy relevance of the review and specifies the terminology used in it. Chapter two introduces empirical data and explores the situation and experiences of black people: using demographic material it first describes the character of black communities living in Britain; and secondly discusses the experiences of disability and informal care. The next four chapters discuss the provision of statutory services to people who form black minorities. Chapter three explores the perceptions of black people and their experience of community service provision. Chapters four, five and six look at statutory provision and discuss the organisation and delivery of services to people who form black minorities. Chapter seven discusses voluntary provision. Chapter eight offers an overview of the literature; it also looks at recommended changes in provision and outlines an agenda fro future research. Finally, an appendix describes the key studies cited in the review.
Conclusion
"This review outlines an agenda for practice-related research as well as establishing the general unsuitability of existing service provision to black communities. Community provision has not generally been responsive to the views of black users and this assumes importance for those planning and implementing support and care within a multi-racial society. Successful community care, in a multi-racial society, cannot therefore rely merely on an understanding of black users' views. As the review illustrates, perceptions of black people do not occur in a void but are interpreted, framed and acted upon by service providers, using judgements which may be inherently racist. This, in effect, provides the context in which black user views will be incorporated."
329 references
Subject terms:
social policy, social care provision, black and minority ethnic people, community care, equal opportunities;
Part of a wider programme of work on the interplay of poverty and ethnicity around the UK, this study examined the research evidence on the relationship between poverty and ethnicity in Northern Ireland and how issues of poverty affect people from different minority ethnic communities. The research involved a comprehensive literature review of empirical research since 1998 and focus groups with people from the Roma, Somali, Chinese and Polish communities and with local stakeholders from statutory and community organisations with an interest in migrant and minority ethnic groups. The report describes the project and presents the findings. It looks at what is known about poverty and minority groups in Northern Ireland, the legislative framework to address poverty and ensure equality for minority ethnic groups, experiences of low incomes and accessing key resources or services among minority ethnic groups, and the findings from minority ethnic and stakeholder focus groups. It discusses how new migrants have joined long-standing communities of people from minority ethnic groups, the policy framework to address racial inequalities in Northern Ireland, and how the legacy of conflict in the region may affect minority ethnic groups. It makes recommendations to limit the apparent poverty among some people from minority ethnic groups, focusing on enhancing opportunities in the labour market and ensuring that appropriate benefits and services are available and used.
Part of a wider programme of work on the interplay of poverty and ethnicity around the UK, this study examined the research evidence on the relationship between poverty and ethnicity in Northern Ireland and how issues of poverty affect people from different minority ethnic communities. The research involved a comprehensive literature review of empirical research since 1998 and focus groups with people from the Roma, Somali, Chinese and Polish communities and with local stakeholders from statutory and community organisations with an interest in migrant and minority ethnic groups. The report describes the project and presents the findings. It looks at what is known about poverty and minority groups in Northern Ireland, the legislative framework to address poverty and ensure equality for minority ethnic groups, experiences of low incomes and accessing key resources or services among minority ethnic groups, and the findings from minority ethnic and stakeholder focus groups. It discusses how new migrants have joined long-standing communities of people from minority ethnic groups, the policy framework to address racial inequalities in Northern Ireland, and how the legacy of conflict in the region may affect minority ethnic groups. It makes recommendations to limit the apparent poverty among some people from minority ethnic groups, focusing on enhancing opportunities in the labour market and ensuring that appropriate benefits and services are available and used.
Subject terms:
migration, poverty, racial equality, black and minority ethnic people, Chinese people, demographics, ethnicity;
This review addresses research methods with black and minority ethnic people using (in its broadest terms) adult social care and support in England. The last ten years have seen considerable changes in how ethnicity is understood. Among these are developments in research sensitive to ethnicity and the further development of anti-racist policy, practice and outcomes in social care. The review took an integrative approach, with a search conducted primarily through online databases including Web of Knowledge and Social Care Online. It summarises the developments and offers practical advice on applying their lessons. Material from other discipline, including health, is also drawn on for methodological advances relevant to social care research. The authors summarise underlying methods of previous research describing their contributions and their limitations; they reflect on their use in social care practice studies; and make recommendations for whether and how these approaches might be more widely or rigorously employed. The recommendations are aimed at students and researchers who are new to social care as well as seasoned researchers and social care practitioners.
This review addresses research methods with black and minority ethnic people using (in its broadest terms) adult social care and support in England. The last ten years have seen considerable changes in how ethnicity is understood. Among these are developments in research sensitive to ethnicity and the further development of anti-racist policy, practice and outcomes in social care. The review took an integrative approach, with a search conducted primarily through online databases including Web of Knowledge and Social Care Online. It summarises the developments and offers practical advice on applying their lessons. Material from other discipline, including health, is also drawn on for methodological advances relevant to social care research. The authors summarise underlying methods of previous research describing their contributions and their limitations; they reflect on their use in social care practice studies; and make recommendations for whether and how these approaches might be more widely or rigorously employed. The recommendations are aimed at students and researchers who are new to social care as well as seasoned researchers and social care practitioners.
Subject terms:
research methods, social care, social care provision, anti-racist practice, black and minority ethnic people, ethnicity;
This briefing paper looks at coronary heart disease, especially within the context of developing culturally competent provision. It looks particularly at South Asian people as they are the largest minority ethnic group living in the UK and have the highest risk of developing coronary heart disease. The cardiovascular disease burden is significant, irrespective of ethnicity, and it is predicted that cardiovascular disease will become the dominant cause of death and disability across the globe over the next decade. Five coronary risk factors (cholesterol levels, diabetes, smoking, hypertension, and lack of exercise) contribute to 80 per cent of coronary heart disease cases. Less is known about why these risk factors vary in their potency across different ethnic groupings. A better understanding of the influence of social context is fundamental, especially when developing interventions aimed at reducing the risk of coronary heart disease. People from minority ethnic groups living in the UK seem to differ from the general population in their susceptibility to cardiovascular disease. Ethnicity is recognised as a risk factor for developing coronary heart disease, although the evidence suggests that the relationship between the two is complex. There is a need to develop culturally appropriate services to increase people’s awareness of coronary risk factors and to support people to live a healthier lifestyle. Understanding the complex dynamic of service delivery is the challenge facing policy and practice.
This briefing paper looks at coronary heart disease, especially within the context of developing culturally competent provision. It looks particularly at South Asian people as they are the largest minority ethnic group living in the UK and have the highest risk of developing coronary heart disease. The cardiovascular disease burden is significant, irrespective of ethnicity, and it is predicted that cardiovascular disease will become the dominant cause of death and disability across the globe over the next decade. Five coronary risk factors (cholesterol levels, diabetes, smoking, hypertension, and lack of exercise) contribute to 80 per cent of coronary heart disease cases. Less is known about why these risk factors vary in their potency across different ethnic groupings. A better understanding of the influence of social context is fundamental, especially when developing interventions aimed at reducing the risk of coronary heart disease. People from minority ethnic groups living in the UK seem to differ from the general population in their susceptibility to cardiovascular disease. Ethnicity is recognised as a risk factor for developing coronary heart disease, although the evidence suggests that the relationship between the two is complex. There is a need to develop culturally appropriate services to increase people’s awareness of coronary risk factors and to support people to live a healthier lifestyle. Understanding the complex dynamic of service delivery is the challenge facing policy and practice.
Subject terms:
multicultural approach, risk, South Asian people, black and minority ethnic people, health education, heart diseases;
Social Policy and Administration, 47(3), 2013, pp.310-326.
Publisher:
Wiley
This article draws on a commissioned review of research methods with black and minority ethnic populations in adult social care in England. It focuses on aspects of the review identifying areas where there is a need for research to respond more effectively to questions of ethnicity, and how researchers can do. While there has been limited increase in attention to ethnicity within general policy discussion and increasing sophistication within specialist debates, advances in theory and methodology have largely failed to penetrate the research mainstream, let alone policy or practice. The authors advocate more focused consideration of ethnicity and ethnic disadvantage at all levels. Failure to do so creates the risk of social policy research being left behind in understanding rapid changes in ethnic minority demographics and patterns of migration, with increasing disadvantage to minorities.
(Edited publisher abstract)
This article draws on a commissioned review of research methods with black and minority ethnic populations in adult social care in England. It focuses on aspects of the review identifying areas where there is a need for research to respond more effectively to questions of ethnicity, and how researchers can do. While there has been limited increase in attention to ethnicity within general policy discussion and increasing sophistication within specialist debates, advances in theory and methodology have largely failed to penetrate the research mainstream, let alone policy or practice. The authors advocate more focused consideration of ethnicity and ethnic disadvantage at all levels. Failure to do so creates the risk of social policy research being left behind in understanding rapid changes in ethnic minority demographics and patterns of migration, with increasing disadvantage to minorities.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
ethnicity, diversity, research methods, inequalities, adult social care, black and minority ethnic people, racism, social care, health care;
Health and Social Care in the Community, 12(5), September 2004, pp.382-388.
Publisher:
Wiley
Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are considered to be the gold standard in evaluating medical interventions; however, people from ethnic minorities are frequently under-represented in such studies. The present paper addresses a previously neglected debate about the tensions which inform clinical trial participation amongst people from ethnic minorities, in particular, South Asians, the largest ethnic minority group in the UK. In a narrative review of the available literature, based mainly on US studies, the present authors aim to make sense of the issues around under-representation by providing a theoretical reconciliation. In addition, they identify a number of potential barriers to ethnic minority participation in clinical trials. In so doing, the authors recognise that the recent history of eugenic racism, and more general views on clinical trials as a form of experimentation, means that clinical trial participation among people from ethnic minorities becomes more problematic. Lack of participation and the importance of representational sampling are also considered, and the authors argue that health professionals need to be better informed about the issues. The paper concludes by offering a number of strategies for improving ethnic minority accrual rates in clinical trials, together with priorities for future research.
Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are considered to be the gold standard in evaluating medical interventions; however, people from ethnic minorities are frequently under-represented in such studies. The present paper addresses a previously neglected debate about the tensions which inform clinical trial participation amongst people from ethnic minorities, in particular, South Asians, the largest ethnic minority group in the UK. In a narrative review of the available literature, based mainly on US studies, the present authors aim to make sense of the issues around under-representation by providing a theoretical reconciliation. In addition, they identify a number of potential barriers to ethnic minority participation in clinical trials. In so doing, the authors recognise that the recent history of eugenic racism, and more general views on clinical trials as a form of experimentation, means that clinical trial participation among people from ethnic minorities becomes more problematic. Lack of participation and the importance of representational sampling are also considered, and the authors argue that health professionals need to be better informed about the issues. The paper concludes by offering a number of strategies for improving ethnic minority accrual rates in clinical trials, together with priorities for future research.
Subject terms:
literature reviews, medication, randomised controlled trials, research methods, social care provision, South Asian people, black and minority ethnic people, diagnostic tests, health care;