Journal article
Acculturation and its influence on the health perceptions, health behaviors, and health outcomes of African immigrants in the United States: A review of the literature
The Journal of Race and Policy, Vol.10(1), pp.89-103
10
2014
Abstract
African-born immigrants make up one of the fastest-growing group of immigrants in the United States; however, they are largely invisible in the literature on immigrant health. Very little is known about the effect of acculturation on their health perceptions and behaviors and the subsequent effects on their health outcomes. We review the literature on the effects of acculturation on health perceptions, health behavior, and health outcomes among African immigrants in the United States. Using PubMed, PsycINFO databases, and sociological abstracts, we examined studies that explored the influence of acculturation, specifically proxy measures of acculturation on African immigrant health in the United States. Following our inclusion criteria, 29 articles were retained in the review. The majority of the studies were quantitative and conducted among Somali immigrants. Our findings indicate that duration of residency in the United States and English language proficiency were the most frequently used proxy measures for acculturation when studying the health perceptions, health behaviors, and health outcomes of African immigrants. We conclude by highlighting the need to move beyond proxy measures for acculturation to explore other protective and contextual factors such as culture and religion and their influence on the health of African immigrants in the United States.
Details
- Title
- Acculturation and its influence on the health perceptions, health behaviors, and health outcomes of African immigrants in the United States
- Publication Details
- The Journal of Race and Policy, Vol.10(1), pp.89-103
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publisher
- Old Dominion University * Department of Political Science and Geography; United States
- Series
- 10
- Copyright
- Permission granted to the University of West Florida Libraries to digitize and/or display this information for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires the permission of the copyright holder.
- Identifiers
- 99380090765406600
- Academic Unit
- Public Health; Usha Kundu, MD College of Health
- Language
- English