Cohort profile: Scottish health and ethnicity linkage study of 4.65 million people exploring ethnic variations in disease in Scotland.

摘要

Many countries require health services to show that they are meeting the needs of ethnic minority populations. This requires data on health status, healthcare uptake and outcomes and population denominators. Weaknesses in routine data collection often make such requirements difficult to meet. Routine data sources in Scotland, as in most countries, may not include a patient's ethnicity. In Scotland, the need for such data is driven by both policy and legislation responding to rapidly increasing ethnic diversity. Fair For All (2003), Scotland's policy, provides a strategic approach to improve the health of minority ethnic groups. The UK Race Relations (Amendment) Act (2000) placed a duty on public bodies to promote racial equality.