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Updated: May 25, 2026

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Published on: February 2, 2020
Racial differences in self-rated health diminishing from 1972 to 2008
Andrew J Sarkin1, Erik J Groessl, Brendan Mulligan
1Health Services Research Center, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, San Diego, CA 92093-0994, USA. asarkin@ucsd.edu
Abstract:
In addition to higher morbidity and mortality, Black adults have reported lower self-rated health than White adults. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diminishing difference in self-rated health between races from 1972 to 2008. Data from 37,936 participants over a 36-year span of the General Social Survey were used to evaluate the effects of race and time on self-rated health. Results confirmed that Black adults reported significantly worse health than White adults. Overall health was rated slightly better across both groups as time went on ([Formula: see text] = .002, P < .0005). However, this increase in health ratings has slowed, even reversing with a decline in health ratings as of late ([Formula: see text] = -.014, P = .001). Significant interactions between race and time indicated that the racial difference on this self-rated health measure has changed over time. The rate of change in the difference has slowed over time ([Formula: see text] = -.010, P = .021), suggesting that the reduction in the racial difference in self-rated health may be decelerating.
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