Jewish Genetic Diseases and Jewish Illness Behavior: A Review of Selected Sociocultural Literature

A review of studies, primarily conducted in the Israeli Jewish community, that examine Jewish genetic diseases from a sociological perspective, incorporating history, demography, & cultural & religious customs into analysis. The effects of Judaism as both a religion & a culture on health & illness behavior are explored. Misconceptions surrounding Jewish genetic disorders are exposed, & three major diseases described together with social mechanisms that affect their selective incidence among Jews. Effects of changing marriage & fertility trends on the prevalence of future genetic disorders are discussed, along with their implications for the provision of medical services. K. Hyatt