Work

(En)gendering racial disparities in health trajectories: A life course and intersectional analysis

Year: 2016

Type: article

Abstract: Historically, intersectionality has been an underutilized framework in sociological research on racial/ethnic and gender inequalities in health. To demonstrate its utility and importance, we conduct an intersectional analysis of the social stratification of health using the exemplar of hypertension-a health condition in which racial/ethnic and gender differences have been well-documented. Previous research has tended to examine these differences separately and ignore how the interaction of social status dimensions may influence health over time. Using seven waves of data from the Health and Retirement Study and multilevel logistic regression models, we found a multiplicative effect of race/ethnicity and gender on hypertension risk trajectories, consistent with both an intersectionality perspective and persistent inequality hypothesis. Group differences in past and contemporaneous socioeconomic and behavioral factors did not explain this effect.

Source: SSM - Population Health

DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2016.04.011

Authors: Liana J. Richardson, Tyson H. Brown

Institutions: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University, Vanderbilt University

Language: English

Topic: Gender, Health, and Social Inequality

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Reduced inequalities, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,930