Future directions for research on acculturation and health

This closing chapter reviews what we see as the contribution of the Handbook to the literature, as well as what we view as the major issues facing the study of acculturation and health. Issues enumerated include mismatches between acculturation theory and the ways in which acculturation is measured and studied in health and medical research; advances in measurement; appreciating the nuanced links between acculturation and health outcomes; expanding the array of migrant groups and receiving societies examined in acculturation and health research; studying acculturation among indigenous and colonized groups; incorporating acculturation into preventive and treatment interventions; and examining the mechanisms through linking acculturation with health outcomes. The chapter concludes with recommendations for moving the field forward.