VI. Race/Ethnicity and Health

How are racial categories defined?

Racial categories embody historical and contemporary social inequalities (David  Williams) 

•  Official definitions use a combination of race, ethnicity, and national origin. 

• Measures of race/ethnicity are self-reported; categories have been defined by the government and change over time 

Race and SES

While SES differences by race are clear, race is NOT just another  measure of SES.

Diminishing Returns/Nonequivalence of SES

Black Americans do not  experience the same health improvements with higher SES as White Americans

What should we see if race and SES are interchangeable?

• If that were true,  then when we divide racial groups by SES, we would not see racial  differences. (But we do still see racial differences in the data)

Area-Based Differences (Racial Residential Segregation)

Physical separation of races in geographic locations

•  Unique-ness of racial residential segregation of Black American 

  • ■ Pathways to health: Segregation limits socioeconomic mobility, creates  barriers to high-quality education and health-promoting factors, and results in environmental toxins and institutional neglect. 

Interpersonal Discrimination

Directly perceived discriminatory interactions which act as an uncontrollable and unpredictable stressor

How is discrimination related to stress pathways?

Discrimination initiates the stress pathways, linking it to health via the biopsychosocial model. → associated with worse health behaviors, not seeking healthcare, worse health outcomes (especially cardiovascular disease)

Vicarious discrimination

The secondhand exposure to racial discrimination/prejudice directed at another individual. could be strangers.

• impacts health through the same pathways as discrimination.

What are some ways of measuring educational attainment?

• number of years of school completed

• degrees

• survey question (check boxes if you have completed xyz grades)

What are some ways of measuring income?

self-report on wages/salary from work and other sources (ex. retirement, pensions, public assistance)

Examples of income

salaries, self-employment, investment income on a before-tax basis