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Race, socioeconomic status, and health: Complexities, ongoing challenges, and research opportunities
Author(s) -
Williams David R.,
Mohammed Selina A.,
Leavell Jacinta,
Collins Chiquita
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.05339.x
Subject(s) - socioeconomic status , race (biology) , race and health , health equity , affect (linguistics) , social determinants of health , health care , inequality , immigration , gerontology , psychology , environmental health , medicine , sociology , geography , political science , population , gender studies , mathematical analysis , mathematics , communication , archaeology , law
This paper provides an overview of racial variations in health and shows that differences in socioeconomic status (SES) across racial groups are a major contributor to racial disparities in health. However, race reflects multiple dimensions of social inequality and individual and household indicators of SES capture relevant but limited aspects of this phenomenon. Research is needed that will comprehensively characterize the critical pathogenic features of social environments and identify how they combine with each other to affect health over the life course. Migration history and status are also important predictors of health and research is needed that will enhance understanding of the complex ways in which race, SES, and immigrant status combine to affect health. Fully capturing the role of race in health also requires rigorous examination of the conditions under which medical care and genetic factors can contribute to racial and SES differences in health. The paper identifies research priorities in all of these areas.