The first question in this discussion is opinion and experience-based, so you can begin immediately.

1. How do you think most people would describe the difference between race and ethnicity? How is this similar or different to the way you would describe it? Which of these identifiers holds more significance for you, race or ethnicity, and why do you believe that is?

For subsequent questions please meaningfully integrate your assigned module readings and videos. We will go through the questions one at a time. Please respond to the following questions one at a time and discuss these issues with classmates and your instructor:

2. Stanford's Race and Ethnicity (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. webpage and the Newsweek's There is no Such Thing as Race (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site., present the case for race being a cultural construct related more to familial and ethnic culture than an actual biological condition. What is your reaction to this? Please support your discussions with the readings.

3. In this week's videos Dr. Roberts and Dr. Gill present two related but different perspectives on the effects of race and ethnicity on human health. Dr. Roberts cautions against making health related decisions based on racial and ethnic stereotypes and patterns, while Dr. Gill emphasizes the importance of factoring in ethnicity and genetics in these same decisions. Do you feel either of these perspectives outweighs the other? Please explain. As you discuss this question, describe how the two perspectives might complement one another. 

4. Hall et al (2015) and Pearson (2015) discuss the damaging effects of implicit bias by health professionals. This is like the implicit bias activity you participated in during the first two modules of this course. Think about the article you selected from this week's article pool and discuss the following question: How might implicit bias affect the primary population focused on in your selected article? As you post your initial response to this question, briefly describe your selected article so that those who did not read it can follow your logic. Also, include at least two citations in your response - one from Hall or Pearson and one from your chosen article. As you discuss the articles you chose, please explore the diversity in health preferences across the groups being discussed. 

5. Near the end of this module, sometime between Friday and Sunday, reflect on the most significant learning you gained from this week's learning and discussion on race and ethnicity as it relates to health and health services. What is the one thing you will most remember? What is one thing you would recommend health professionals do to decrease racial and ethnic health disparities?

Consult the Discussion Posting Guide for information about writing your discussion posts. It is recommended that you post in a document first. Check your work and correct any spelling or grammatical errors. When you are ready to make your initial post, click on "Reply." Then copy/paste the text into the message field, and click "Post Reply."

To respond to a peer, click "Reply" beneath her or his post and continue as with an initial post.

This discussion will be graded using a rubric. Please review this rubric prior to beginning the discussion. You can view the rubric on the Course Rubrics page within the Start Here module. All discussions combined are worth 35% of your final course grade.