In urban areas of the UK up to 50% of the population may come from a non-white British ethnic background. Ethnic factors, such as beliefs and cultural context, compounded by language and social factors, affect access to, and quality and outcome of, healthcare, in particular with regards to chronic diseases. A number of rheumatic conditions, such as systemic lupus erythe-matosus (SLE) and osteomalacia, show particular prevalence and/or disease expression according to ethnic factors. In common with many other medical specialties, it remains poorly understood how ethnic factors impact on healthcare provision in rheumatic diseases. More research is required before equity of healthcare across the ethnic spectrum can become a reality.
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