It is increasingly clear that health disparities exist among marginalized communities in developed and developing countries. These groups experience disproportionate burdens of illness and poorer health outcomes than other groups. It is important to understand the underlying factors that contribute to health disparities to target specific health messages and interventions to promote health equity.
An important area of inquiry that is severely under-researched is the exploration of health and illness beliefs for minoritized groups. This includes racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, immigrants, refugees, and individuals with disabilities. Health and illness beliefs are shaped by cultural, social, and environmental factors. These play a significant role in shaping health behaviors, healthcare utilization, and ultimately health outcomes.

This special issue aims to advance our understanding of health disparities for minoritized groups and communities by examining the interplay of cultural, social, and psychological factors.
Using the lens of health and illness beliefs and lived experiences will allow us to identify barriers to health equity and in so doing, highlight opportunities for intervention and policy change for these groups.
Through rigorous research, we aim to contribute to the development of culturally sensitive and effective approaches to address health disparities and promote health equity for minoritized communities.

We welcome original research articles, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and theoretical papers that address the following topics:
•Exploration of health and illness beliefs for individuals or communities reflecting racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, immigrants, refugees, and individuals with disabilities.
•An examination of culture, traditions, and environmental factors and interplay with health beliefs, health behaviors, and health outcomes for minoritized communities.
•Lived health and illness experiences for minoritized communities highlighting facilitators and barriers to care, resilience factors, and coping strategies that may contribute to positive health outcomes.
•Intersectionality of identities and influence on health disparities and health outcomes.
•Evaluation of current interventions that may be effective at addressing health disparities and promoting health equity for minoritized groups.
•Healthcare provider experiences, attitudes, biases, and cultural competence in providing care to minoritized populations.

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Frontiers in Psychology

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