The structuring of ethnic-related health inequalities-A literature review

Aim: This paper aims at listing the potentially explaining factors of inequalities in health between ethnic groups through a review of literature and to assess the most relevant ones. Methods: PubMed and ScienceDirect were used to search for literature on ethnic health inequalities. The resulting papers were screened for their relevance. Results: 14 studies were selected and seven explaining factors were identified: environmental factors, socio-economic factors, racism and discrimination, ethnic density, health behaviour, access to healthcare and religion. Conclusion: Socio-economic factors together with experience and awareness of racism are major explaining factors for health inequalities between ethnic groups. The lower socioeconomic position of minority ethnic groups also influences other factors threatening their health. However, the differences in socio-economic positions should not be considered as autonomous, but produced by the long history of discrimination and racism.