Which statement correctly distinguishes race from ethnicity?

• A. Race is based on cultural factors; ethnicity on physical traits
• B. Race is based on physical characteristics; ethnicity involves nationality and language
• C. Race and ethnicity are identical
• D. Race only concerns genetics

Answer: (B)

Race reflects how societies categorize people based on perceived physical traits like skin color and facial features, while ethnicity centers on cultural affiliation—shared nationality, language, customs, and heritage. In health care, this distinction matters because race is a social construct tied to outward appearance and social experiences, not a precise measure of biology, whereas ethnicity helps explain language needs, health beliefs, and culturally shaped practices. The statement that race is based on physical characteristics and ethnicity involves nationality and language accurately captures this separation. The other options mix up these factors (culture being linked to race, or ethnicity to physical traits), claim they are identical, or oversimplify race as solely about genetics, which misses how these identities function in practice.