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Ethnicity

People from South Asian, Black, and other ethnic minority backgrounds in the UK experience disproportionately higher rates of chronic disease and poorer health outcomes compared to their White counterparts.
A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis examined cardiovascular mortality differences between South Asians and White Caucasians across developed countries, including the UK. It found that South Asians had a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease-related mortality, with a pooled risk ratio of 1.32 (95% credible interval: 1.14 to 1.54) compared to Whites. This elevated risk was not observed for all-cause mortality, suggesting specific vulnerability to cardiovascular conditions in this group.
In the UK context, a structured review conducted for Curovia Healthcare analysed publicly available datasets (including GOV.UK’s Ethnicity Facts and Figures platform and regional health needs assessments). It reported that while many the majority of South Asian individuals are well integrated and proficient in English, significant barriers persist, especially among older Bangladeshi and Pakistani populations. For example, over 20% of Bangladeshi adults report being unable to speak English well or at all. This has been shown to delay access to healthcare, reduce the uptake of preventive services, and complicate the management of chronic conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
In relation to diabetes, Curovia’s report also noted that South Asians in the UK are 2 to 6 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than White individuals, often a decade earlier in life. This increased risk is due not only to genetic predisposition but also to socioeconomic and dietary factors, including insulin resistance at lower BMI thresholds than in other ethnic groups.

Further qualitative insights were gathered through interviews with NHS clinicians. For example:

  • A UK Consultant Nephrologist noted that kidney disease is common among ethnic minority groups and that communication barriers, lack of culturally tailored materials, and limited digital literacy can hinder effective engagement.
  • UK GPs emphasised that low health literacy and social deprivation, particularly among ethnic minority patients, are key contributors to poor engagement with health and wellbeing programmes, resulting in higher dependency on pharmacological interventions rather than preventive care.
Reference: Patel M, Abatcha S, Uthman O. Ethnic differences between South Asians and White Caucasians in cardiovascular disease-related mortality in developed countries: a systematic literature review. Systematic Reviews. 2022;11:207. DOI: 10.1186/s13643-022-02079-z
Market Entry Report for Curovia Healthcare Ltd, data on file.
These findings align with the NHS England CORE20PLUS5 framework, which explicitly identifies ethnicity and deprivation as key contributors to health inequality. The framework prioritises action on five clinical areas (maternity, severe mental illness, respiratory disease, cancer diagnosis, and hypertension case-finding), and it advocates targeted interventions in the most deprived 20% of the population, including ethnic minority communities.
Reference: NHS England. Core20PLUS5 – An approach to reducing health inequalities. Know More