Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 31, 2026
08:13
Using the Race Model Inequality to Quantify Behavioral Multisensory Integration Effects
Published on: May 10, 2019
Racial/ethnic differences in US health behaviors: a decomposition analysis
Tamara Dubowitz1, Melonie Heron, Ricardo Basurto-Davila
1RAND Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. dubowitz@rand.org
American Journal of Health Behavior
|June 21, 2011
Summary
Racial and ethnic disparities in health behaviors are influenced by individual factors and neighborhood socioeconomic status (NSES). Differential responses to these factors significantly shape these health behavior differences.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Sociology
- Health Disparities Research
Background:
- Racial and ethnic minority groups often experience significant health disparities.
- Understanding the multifaceted determinants of health behaviors across diverse populations is crucial for effective public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the contributions of individual sociodemographic factors, neighborhood socioeconomic status (NSES), and unmeasured factors to racial/ethnic differences in health behaviors.
- To compare these contributions among non-Hispanic (NH) whites, NH blacks, and Mexican Americans.
Main Methods:
- Linear regression analyses were employed to assess the relationships between variables.
- Oaxaca decomposition analyses were utilized to disentangle the effects of individual characteristics and NSES on health behavior disparities.
Main Results:
- Individual characteristics and NSES were found to contribute to racial/ethnic differences in health behaviors.
- Differential responses to individual characteristics and NSES played a significant role in these disparities, indicating varied impacts across groups.
Conclusions:
- There are distinct racial/ethnic differences in how individual-level determinants and NSES influence health behaviors.
- Investigating the mechanisms behind these differential responses is essential for developing targeted community interventions and public health campaigns.
Related Concept Videos
02:16Surveys
Often, psychologists develop surveys as a means of gathering data. Surveys are lists of questions to be answered by research participants, and can be delivered as paper-and-pencil questionnaires, administered electronically, or conducted verbally. Generally, the survey itself can be completed in a short time, and the ease of administering a survey makes it easy to collect data from a large number of people.
02:55Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination
Humans are very diverse and although we share many similarities, we also have many differences. The social groups we belong to help form our identities (Tajfel, 1974). These differences may be difficult for some people to reconcile, which may lead to prejudice toward people who are different. Prejudice is a negative attitude and feeling toward an individual based solely on one’s membership in a particular social group (Allport, 1954; Brown, 2010). Prejudice is common against people who are...
01:29Bias in Epidemiological Studies
Biases can arise at various stages of research, from study design and data collection to analysis and interpretation. Recognizing and addressing these biases is essential to ensure the validity and reliability of epidemiological findings.Broadly speaking, biases in epidemiology fall into three main categories: selection bias, information bias, and confounding. A more detailed description of possible biases is:
01:52Regression Toward the Mean
Regression toward the mean (“RTM”) is a phenomenon in which extremely high or low values—for example, and individual’s blood pressure at a particular moment—appear closer to a group’s average upon remeasuring. Although this statistical peculiarity is the result of random error and chance, it has been problematic across various medical, scientific, financial and psychological applications. In particular, RTM, if not taken into account, can interfere when researchers try to extrapolate results...
02:12Relationship Formation
What do you think is the single most influential factor in determining with whom you become friends and whom you form romantic relationships? You might be surprised to learn that the answer is simple: the people with whom you have the most contact. This most important factor is proximity. You are more likely to be friends with people you have regular contact with. For example, there are decades of research that shows that you are more likely to become friends with people who live in your dorm,...
01:23Behavioral Genetics and Its Designs
Behavior genetics explores how genetic inheritance influences human behavior. It focuses on how genes, passed from parents to offspring, contribute to the development of behavioral traits and tendencies. This branch of genetics seeks to understand the complex interplay between inherited genetic factors and environmental influences in shaping our behaviors.
The primary methodologies used in behavior genetics include family studies, twin studies, and adoption studies, each providing unique...
The primary methodologies used in behavior genetics include family studies, twin studies, and adoption studies, each providing unique...