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Black-white mortality differences by family income
P Sorlie1, E Rogot, R Anderson
1National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
Lancet (London, England)
|August 8, 1992
Summary
Black Americans experience higher death rates than white Americans, even after accounting for family income. This disparity persists across various causes of death, suggesting factors beyond socioeconomic status contribute to excess mortality.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Sociomedical Sciences
- Epidemiology
Background:
- US Black men and women under 75 have higher mortality rates than white counterparts.
- Socioeconomic factors are often cited but do not fully explain this excess risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate mortality rates by family income for Black and White populations in the US.
- To determine if income explains racial disparities in death rates.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the National Longitudinal Mortality Study, a representative US population sample.
- Calculated mortality rates stratified by race (Black/White) and family income, for individuals under 65 years of age.
Main Results:
- Higher family income correlated with lower mortality for both races and genders.
- At all income levels, Black individuals exhibited higher mortality than White individuals.
- Racial disparities in mortality persisted even after adjusting for income, particularly for cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Conclusions:
- Income is a significant factor, but does not fully account for the higher death rates among Black Americans.
- Unmeasured factors like healthcare access, quality of care, and behavioral risks likely contribute to racial mortality gaps.
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