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Consanguinity, genetics and definitions of kinship in the UK Pakistani population
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Consanguinity, genetics and definitions of kinship in the UK Pakistani population

A.H. Bittles and N.A. Small
Journal of Biosocial Science, Vol.48(6), pp.844-854
2015
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Abstract

Consanguineous marriage is a controversial topic in many Western societies, with attention mainly focused on the health of immigrant communities from Asia and Africa. In the UK consanguinity is especially prevalent in the Pakistani community, which now numbers over 1.1 million. Less attention has been paid to the influence of hereditary population stratification within Pakistani communities, in particular biraderi (literally brotherhood) membership, which denotes male lineages that largely govern marriage partner choice and hence the transmission of disease genes. The various roles played by biraderi and their relationship to other socio-occupational and kinship terms, such as caste, quom and zat, are often overlooked in health-based studies. The interchangeable use of these different kinship terms without rigorous definition can create identity uncertainty and hinders inter-study comparisons. Where feasible, standardization of terminology would be both desirable and beneficial, with biraderi the preferred default term to identify specific social and genetic relationships within the Pakistani diaspora.

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#3 Good Health and Well-Being

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
International collaboration
Citation topics
1 Clinical & Life Sciences
1.189 Genome Studies
1.189.1853 Human Genetic Diversity
Web Of Science research areas
Demography
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Social Sciences, Biomedical
ESI research areas
Social Sciences, general
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