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Beyond fatalism: Information overload as a mechanism to understand health disparities

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  • Ramírez, A. Susana
  • Arellano Carmona, Kimberly

Abstract

Fatalism – beliefs about the causes and controllability of disease – has been negatively associated with prevention behaviors. Fatalism has been suggested as a mechanism for health disparities because ethnic minorities are especially likely to hold fatalistic beliefs. However, the construct has been criticized: Fatalism fails to account for structural barriers to health faced by vulnerable populations that also score highly on measures of fatalism. Another critique suggests that operationalizations of fatalism expose communication failures: “Fatalism” rather reflects information overload from an environment riddled with misinformation and contradictions. This study aimed to expand understanding of one mechanism through which communication may contribute to disparities by considering the context of nutrition among bicultural Latinas, who face increased risk from dietary acculturation.

Suggested Citation

  • Ramírez, A. Susana & Arellano Carmona, Kimberly, 2018. "Beyond fatalism: Information overload as a mechanism to understand health disparities," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 219(C), pages 11-18.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:219:y:2018:i:c:p:11-18
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.10.006
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Rodney, Alexandra, 2018. "Pathogenic or health-promoting? How food is framed in healthy living media for women," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 213(C), pages 37-44.
    2. Martin, Molly A. & Van Hook, Jennifer L. & Quiros, Susana, 2015. "Is socioeconomic incorporation associated with a healthier diet? Dietary patterns among Mexican-origin children in the United States," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 20-29.
    3. Kagawa Singer, M. & Dressler, W. & George, S., 2016. "Culture: The missing link in health research," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 170(C), pages 237-246.
    4. Jennifer Van Hook & Susana Quiros & Michelle L. Frisco & Emnet Fikru, 2016. "It is Hard to Swim Upstream: Dietary Acculturation Among Mexican-Origin Children," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 35(2), pages 177-196, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Smit, Anri & Coetzee, Bronwynè Jo’sean & Roomaney, Rizwana & Bradshaw, Melissa & Swartz, Leslie, 2019. "Women's stories of living with breast cancer: A systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative evidence," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 222(C), pages 231-245.
    2. Hyehyun Hong & Hyo Jung Kim, 2020. "Antecedents and Consequences of Information Overload in the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-15, December.

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