Abstract
Sickle cell disease (SCD) has been recognized by the World Health Organization and United Nations as a global public health problem. In Brazil and in other countries in North and South America, SCD is more common among Black populations. Within Brazil, SCD is more prevalent in regions with higher concentrations of Black populations, indicating a health disparity or difference in health outcome due to race, ethnicity or other factors related to discrimination or exclusion. Structural racism can be a major determining factor in the establishment of SCD-related neglect, and there is an intersection between institutional racism and the production of SCD neglect. This encourages the need to address the health inequities that differentiate White and Black populations in Brazil, understand the role of racism as a contributor to differential health outcomes, and explore traditional spiritual and healing sources that can address this disparity. Afro-Brazilian spiritual and healing traditions like Candomblé have been used to remove health difficulties such as depression, insomnia, and eyesight problems, and have been effective in HIV prevention programs. Exploring Afro-Brazilian spiritual and healing traditions may be a method to address health problems such as SCD health disparities in Brazil. The purpose of this study is to describe the issue of racial disparities in SCD in Brazil, investigate the intersection of structural racism and SCD neglect in Brazil, and explore how Afro-Brazilian spiritual and healing traditions can be used to address this health disparity.
Presenters
Anuli NjokuProfessor, Public Health, Southern Connecticut State University, Connecticut, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Religious Commonalities and Differences
KEYWORDS
Religious Diversity, Cultural Differences, Spirituality, Racism
