Previous studies focused on obesity and weight management have ignored the cultural uniqueness of Afro-Caribbean individuals. The purpose of this study was to examine the cultural context for notions of good health and health practices, and perception of obesity and weight management, among African American and Caribbean American women. Four focus groups of Afro-Caribbean and African American women (age 40 and older) were conducted between May and July of 2007 to explore cultural factors related to physical activity, healthy eating and weight management.
Health disparity and socio-biological determinants of the poorest quintile and the wealthiest quintile have never been examined for Jamaica. The current study examines health status, illness, age at which the lower and upper classes indicate having illness and particular illnesses, and parameters that explain health status of the upper and lower quintiles in Jamaica as well as the social context of disparities between the two groups.
