Race

Some health conditions apply to particular ethnic groups while variations in sickness absence between ethnic groups can also reflect the particular hazards associated with the industries in which black and minority ethnic (BME) workers tend to work. The Equality Act 2010 could be relevant here as race is a protected characteristic.

Medical conditions relating specifically to BME workers include sickle cell anaemia and thalassaemia (public services union UNISON and retail workers’ union Usdaw have produced information on both of these conditions):

Sickle cell anaemia affects the red blood cells and is an inherited condition passed on by both parents. It is most common among people of African and Caribbean descent but can occur in people from India, Pakistan, the Middle East and the eastern Mediterranean. The effects vary widely but they can include pain in the arms, legs, back and stomach, swelling of the hands and feet or stiff and painful joints; infection — coughs, colds, sore throats and fever and other more serious illnesses, such as pneumonia; anaemia (shortage of oxygen in the blood) — feeling weak and lethargic; and jaundice. It should not be confused with Sickle cell trait which rarely causes health problems, though it may occasionally cause blood to appear in the urine and special care is required when having an operation or needing an anaesthetic.

Thalassaemia major is a serious form of anaemia that is inherited from both parents which is most common among people of Mediterranean descent, including people from Cyprus, Italy, Spain, Portugal, as well as North Africa, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Middle East and the Far East. It is not the same as Thalassaemia trait, also called Thalassaemia minor (people with that condition are perfectly healthy and do not require special medical treatment).

There are other ways in which health and sickness may have a racial dimension. Research indicates important differences across ethnic groups in the UK concerning breast cancer awareness, disease development and successful treatment rates. Studies in this area have made the case for cancer awareness to be targeted to black communities, and for research to understand what obstacles stood in the way of black women taking up invitations for breast cancer screening.

UNISON also reports that black men in England are three times more likely to develop prostate cancer and to develop it at an earlier age. In addition, South Asian and Chinese people have a higher than average risk of mouth cancer; while people with darker skin colouring are at greater risk of dying from skin cancer than white people due to late detection. The union’s National Black Members’ Committee has highlighted UNISON’s concerns for workers with these conditions in the current political climate.

Limited HSE-published research shows that BME workers in Britain are disproportionately affected by work-related health and safety issues such as stress, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and bullying and violence. Past research has explored the association between work stress and ethnicity.

Addressing cultural diversity in the workplace can have a considerable impact on occupational safety and health, according to a report published in 2013 by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA). The report, Diverse cultures at work: ensuring safety and health through leadership and participation, revealed that there can be serious consequences resulting from a lack of awareness of cultural difference, and that language and cultural challenges can be “mirrored in higher accident and sick leave rates” than for native-born workers.

However, a case study highlighted in the report showed how motor manufacturer BMW in Munich trained management in how to better deal with cultural diversity and introduced “health ambassadors”. Workers, many of whom were migrants themselves, were trained in health promotion and held an important mediating role among their colleagues. This helped overcome typical language and social barriers for migrant workers, who often don’t take advantage of company health promotion offers.

www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr308.pdf

https://osha.europa.eu/en/tools-and-publications/publications/reports/diverse-cultures-at-work-ensuring-safety-and-health-through-leadership-and-participation