Economic distress and cause-of-death patterns for black and non-black men in Chicago

Reconsidering the relevance of classic epidemiological transition theory

Datos Bibliográficos

ID5957985
AutoresLorella Palazzo (0000-0002-5271-350X, University of Washington, autor de correspondencia), Avery Guest, Avery M Guest (University of Washington), Gunnar Almgren (University of Washington)
Año2003
Volumen50
Número1-2
Páginas102-126
Fecha de publicación2003-03-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaBiodemography and Social Biology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1948-5565 • E-ISSN: 1948-5573
EditorialInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/19485565.2003.9989067
PMID15510540
OpenAlexW2027741584
IdiomaEN
Referencias citadas67

The mortality disadvantage of African Americans is well documented, but previous studies have not considered its implications for population theory in the general case of industrialized nation states with high levels of income inequality. This paper examines the relevance of classic epidemiological theory to the extremes of income and mortality observed in Chicago, one of America's most racially divided cities. We analyze cause-specific death rates for black and non-black male populations residing in Chicago's community areas by using linked data from the 1990 Census and from 1989-1991 individual death certificates. The same cause-of-death patterns explain much of the mortality of black and non-black men. These two major structures include one, degenerative diseases, the other, "tough-living" causes (accidents, homicides, and liver disease). Community socioeconomic status is strongly related to tough-living deaths within each racial group, and to degenerative deaths for African Americans. Black men's tough-living mortality is much greater than non-blacks', but their younger age structure suppresses their degenerative death rates. Aggregate unemployment and social disorganization account for the most salient disparities in mortality across racial groups. This patterning of mortality along a socioeconomic continuum supports epidemiological theory and extends its applicability to highly unequal populations within industrialized countries

Distress · Epidemiological transition · Political science · Population · Sociology · Clinical Psychology · Demography · Health disparities and outcomes · Homelessness and Social Issues · Medicine · Psychology · Urban, Neighborhood, and Segregation Studies · Epidemiology · Gerontology