How does your personal identity affect your health?

The two identities that I chose are Hindu and Asian.

KIN 169: Diversity, Stress, and Health
Personal Health and Identity Paper
How does your personal identity affect your health?
In this paper, students will explore the connection between their social identities and health. Students will
select two parts of their identity (choosing from gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexuality,
disability, age, and/or religion) and discuss two specific health risks and/or benefits supported by research that
are associated with the chosen aspects of their identity. Students will write a 4-6 page paper addressing the
following components:
a. critical discussion of the cultural and societal influences, including instances of inequality and
interactions with other sociocultural groups, that have shaped the student’s identities;
b. detailed description of specific health effects associated with the chosen identities;
c. discussion of the historical, social, political, and/or biological contexts that contribute to the associated
health effects;
d. discussion of personal and social interventions that could be taken to prevent or treat the associated
health effects.
The paper (4-6 pages, double spaced) should integrate and synthesize information from at least three (3)
academic, peer-reviewed journals that relate the components addressed in the assignment (e.g., social or
cultural context of social identity, health risks associated with social identity, appropriateness of chosen
intervention, personal/social actions or strategies for diminishing the health risks). Reference citations must be
in American Psychological Association (APA) format.
The paper is worth 20% of your overall grade.
Papers will be evaluated on the following criteria:
a. content and organization, including synthesis of primary references;
b. adherence to the assignment guidelines;
c. citations, references, and format;
d. writing clarity, syntax, grammar, and spelling; and
e. creativity and insight expressed through the integration of all components of the assignment.
Requirements
• Appropriate APA Cover Page for a Student Paper https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammarguidelines/paper-format/title-page
• 4-6 double-spaced pages, minimum of 4 complete content pages, and a maximum of 6 complete
content pages. This does not include the cover page or the reference list.
• 12 pt. font
• APA format for in-text citations and reference list. Please visit
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/ge
neral_format.html for general guidelines.
• At least three different primary sources (Academic journals, Government sources or Academicoriented books)
• The paper must be an original work created for this class. No essays from previous classes will be
accepted.
• Quotations from primary sources should be kept to a minimum, and only used if absolutely necessary
to support your argument. Please visit
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_ci
tations_the_basics.html for citing direct quotes.
• No hard copy required
• Late papers will be penalized a grade step each day (i.e. B drops to B-)
Potential Outline
1. Introduction
a. Overview of 2 identities and 2 health risks that you will discuss.
i. Demographic information
ii. Incidence rate of health risks (use actual data/numbers)
b. Why does this topic matter in the broader social context?
c. Define any unknown terms
d. Layout purpose
i. “This paper will discuss….”
2. Overview of identities
a. Describe how these identities are formed, including biological, social, political, economic, and/or
historical processes
b. How do these identities shape your life, including your stress and health, on a day-to-day basis?
c. Cite research on the background of population and demographics
3. Overview of risk factors associated with identities
a. Data to support association of risk
b. Short- and long-term health consequences
c. How prevalent or frequent?
4. Interventions and treatments
a. Short- and long-term interventions
b. Personal interventions (What can you do as an individual to alleviate or prevent the health
issue?)
i. Example: Pharmaceuticals, meditation, exercise, etc.
c. Social interventions (What can be done collectively as a community or society to
prevent/alleviate the health issue?)
i. Example: Healthcare programs, economic development, social services, education, etc.
5. Conclusion/Discussion
a. Summarize main points
b. What did you learn?