Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health

Abstract

Racial and ethnic disparities in health stem from the historical legacy and continued patterns of unequal resources and treatment on the basis of race/ethnicity in society (Hummer and Hamilton 2019; Williams and Sternthal 2010). Health disparities encompass differences in physical health, mental health, all-cause and cause-specific mortality risk, activity limitations, healthcare access and utilization, and other metrics of well-being. The existing literature on racial and ethnic disparities in health in the United States mainly considers health patterns among the five major racial/ethnic groups: Hispanics, non-Hispanic (NH) blacks, NH whites, Asians and Pacific Islanders (hereafter Asians), and Native Americans. These categories may not adequately capture the racial/ethnic identity of all Americans, especially the multiracial population. Further, diversity exists within these groups in terms of socioeconomic attainment, country of birth, and several other socioeconomic, geographic, and cultural dimensions. However, these racial/ethnic categories are the options respondents must select from on most national health surveys and vital records, as mandated by the 1997 revision to Directive No. 15 from the US Office of Management and Budget (OMB 1997). Overview Racial/ethnic health disparities among the Hispanic, NH black, and NH white populations (the three largest racial/ethnic groups in the United States) have received the most attention to date. Less research is available on the health among Asians, Native Americans, and multiracial individuals, due in part to their smaller proportions of the US population and small samples in national health surveys. In general, Asians and NH whites tend to have the most favorable health and NH blacks and Native Americans tend to have the least favorable health. Hispanics exhibit

Aging and COVID-19 in Minority Populations: a Perfect Storm

“…Black individuals have the highest prevalence of hypertension and CKD of any racial and ethnic group in the USA, with 57.1% of Black adults reporting hypertension in 2018 [60][61][62]. Hypertension is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease and CKD, and Black patients are twice as likely to die of preventable heart disease and kidney failure than white individuals [63,64]. Consistent with our understanding of weathering, Black populations have been shown to develop hypertension and cardiovascular disease on average 10 years before White populations, even after accounting for differences in demographic and health-related factors [65].…”

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“…Community Pediatrics [CCP], 2016). Moreover, research indicates that health status tends to be best for non-Hispanic Whites and Asians and worst for Blacks and Native Americans (Lariscy et al, 2020). Unfortunately for many children, the only way they may come into contact with a health care provider is through contact with the justice system (Golzari et al, 2006;Hammett et al, 1998).…”