Work as a Social Determinant of Racial Health Inequalities

Area of Science:

• Social Epidemiology
• Occupational Health
• Health Disparities Research

Background:

• Work is increasingly recognized as a critical social determinant of health.
• Racial inequalities in health outcomes, including well-being, persist among Black populations in the United States.
• Existing research often examines work's impact in isolation, necessitating integrated theoretical approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of work characteristics in eudemonic well-being among Black and non-Black adults.
• To integrate Warr's Vitamin Model with Assari's "differential exposure" and "differential gain" mechanisms.
• To examine racial differences in the association between job characteristics and psychological well-being.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a nationally representative sample from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) Refresher and Milwaukee Refresher projects (2011-2014).
• Integrated participant data with occupational information from O*NET 17.0.
• Employed statistical analyses to assess differential gain and exposure by race and their impact on well-being.

Main Results:

• Three of nine job characteristics significantly differed by race.
• Evidence of "differential gain" was found, with job characteristics positively associated with well-being for non-Black individuals but benign or negative for Black individuals.
• Advanced education benefited well-being for Black individuals, while having neutral or negative implications for non-Black individuals.

Conclusions:

• Racial inequalities in eudemonic well-being are evident, stemming from challenges Black individuals face in securing beneficial employment.
• Job characteristics do not universally enhance well-being; their impact is moderated by race.
• These findings reinforce the critical role of work as a social determinant of health, contributing to racial disparities.