Cumulative Disadvantage and Black-White Disparities in Life-Course Health Trajectories

Abstract

In this study, the authors use longitudinal data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics and growth curve models to examine the utility of the concept of cumulative disadvantage as an explanation for race differences in life-course health (self-rated) in the United States. The authors ask whether socioeconomic resources equally benefit the health of Blacks and Whites, or if Whites receive higher rates of return to resources across the life course. The authors find that the relationship differs depending on the indicator of socioeconomic status that is examined. Education does not offer the same advantages for the health of Blacks as it does for Whites, particularly at higher levels of education, and this is compounded with age. In contrast, returns to income and wealth are similar for Blacks and Whites, and these resources remain equally important to protecting the health of Blacks and Whites across the life course. Over time, Blacks are at an increasing health disadvantage relative to Whites, a result that is not attenuated by educational attainment.

Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status in Relation to Serum Biomarkers in the Black Women’s Health Study

“…However, studies suggest that the health benefits of educational attainment are lower for African-Americans compared to Whites, particularly at higher levels of education. 70 Studies have also shown that at the same level of personal education and income, AfricanAmericans possess only one tenth of the wealth of white Americans and are more likely than whites to live in poorly resourced neighborhoods. 16,55 Our data from previous analyses in the BWHS showed a significant inverse association between neighborhood SES (measured as median housing value) and hypertension in the BWHS, and the association was present among women with high levels of education (≥16 years) 10 In the present study, the association of biomarkers and neighborhood SES was apparent in women at low and high levels of education, although the biomarker profile was in general more favorable in the more highly educated women.…”

Cognitive Disparities: The Impact of the Great Depression and Cumulative Inequality on Later-Life Cognitive Function

“…Situated within life-course theory, cumulative inequality (Ferraro and Shippee 2009;Schafer et al 2011Schafer et al , 2013 and cumulative disadvantage (DiPrete and Eirich 2006;Shuey and Willson 2008) theories posit that capital, including health, accumulates through the mechanisms of "structure, human agency, and chance" (Willson et al 2007(Willson et al :1887. Regardless of the source of advantage, the advantaged have large initial gains that accumulate over the lifetime, resulting in positive outcomes (Elder 1998;O'Rand and Hamil-Luker 2005;Pearlin et al 2007;Shuey and Willson 2008).…”

“…Regardless of the source of advantage, the advantaged have large initial gains that accumulate over the lifetime, resulting in positive outcomes (Elder 1998;O'Rand and Hamil-Luker 2005;Pearlin et al 2007;Shuey and Willson 2008). The converse is also true: those who are disadvantaged become increasingly disadvantaged.…”

Death of family members as an overlooked source of racial disadvantage in the United States

“…This approach emphasizes that strains and resources associated with stratified social conditions accumulate throughout the life course to produce advantages and disadvantages in wide-ranging life outcomes including socioeconomic status, the formation and quality of relationships, and mental and physical health (7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13). Indeed, stress experienced in childhood undermines health years and even decades later-a fact at the cornerstone of theoretical work on race and cumulative disadvantage across the life course (14-18).…”

“…Indeed, research shows that losing a child, spouse, or parent is the most stressful life event people experience and one that affects them for years (4,20). That stress may be widely disruptive to life in ways that increase the likelihood of exposure to more stressful life events (e.g., residential disruption, divorce, job loss) and lead to chronic stressors (e.g., poverty, relationship strain) is well established (7)(8)(9)(10)(11). In these ways, a loss at one point in the life course can fuel cumulative disadvantage-and the weathering resulting from this disadvantage-over time (21).…”