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Title: The Effect of Racism on Black Mortality and Life Expectancy
Citation Type: Miscellaneous
Publication Year: 2016
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Abstract: Although many theoretical arguments have been made linking racism to high mortality and lower life expectancy among African Americans, studies to date have been unable to measure racism directly to determine the strength of the its effect on health and well-being. Here we take advantage of a new internet-based method to measure interstate variation in anti-black sentiment and connect it to cross-state variation in mortality and life expectancy. Estimates of a structural equations model indicate that racism: increases the rate of black homicide through the intervening variable of racial segregation; raises infant mortality through the intervening variable of low birth weight; and increases mortality from diabetes and heart disease through the intervening variable of obesity. Excess deaths from infant mortality, diabetes, and heart disease in turn act to lower black life expectancy, and racism has a direct effect in reducing black life chances as well. Varying the level of racism from its lowest to highest observed level across states is sufficient to shift black life expectancy by an estimated 3.9 years.
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Authors: Massey, Douglas S; Sinclair, Stacey; Rugh, Jacob S
Publisher: Princeton University
Data Collections: IPUMS USA
Topics: Fertility and Mortality, Health, Race and Ethnicity
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