Ethnicity
Ethnicity is the shared feeling of peoplehood among a group of individuals (Giger and Davidhizar, 2008). Ethnicity reflects membership in a cultural group and is based on individuals sharing similar cultural patterns (e.g., family structures, beliefs, and dietary habits). These patterns are developed in a socioeconomic context with historic and political underpinnings and are exceedingly resistant to change. Ethnicity represents the identifying characteristics of culture, such as race, religion, or national origin and affects beliefs, behaviors, and access to resources. It is influenced by education, income level, geographical location, and association with individuals from ethnic groups other than one's own. Therefore, there is a reciprocal relationship between the individual and society. Members of an ethnic group are likely to give up aspects of their identity and society when they adopt characteristics of another group's identity. However, when there is a strong ethnic identity, the individual maintains the values, beliefs, behaviors, practices, and ways of thinking of their group.