4183.0 - Race, wealth and health: The role of reparations

Session: Spirit of 1848 Social Justice & Public Health Student Poster Session

Program: Spirit of 1848 Caucus

Time: 12:30 - 1:30 PM

Presenters:

Shannon Whittaker

Marie-Fatima Hyacinthe

Joshua Warren

Trace Kershaw

Abstract

Background: Extant literature highlights that wealth significantly impacts health. Due to structurally racist policies and practices, Black Americans are less likely to accumulate wealth and thus more likely to report adverse health outcomes. Little research has assessed the role of reparations in the relationship between race, wealth, and health.

Methods: Data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 were analyzed using multi-level regression models to assess race and wealth as predictors of health. Predicted probabilities evaluated changes in the probability of reporting excellent health with the inclusion of three reparation estimations to Black respondents: Darity’s land-based estimation, Craemer’s wage-based estimation and the racial wealth gap.

Results: White respondents reported increased odds (OR = 1.42, 95% : 0.138, 0.562, p=0.0012) of excellent health compared to Black respondents. For wealth, a $10,000 increase in wealth was significantly associated with increased odds (OR = 1.01, 95% CI: 0.004, 0.010) of excellent versus good and fair/poor health. In our predicted probability models, we found as reparations payments increased so did the probability of reporting excellent health for Black respondents. However, even at the highest level of reparations payments, Black respondents still had lower probabilities compared to whites.

Conclusion: Reparations payments can be used to narrow the racial health equity gap. However, reparative justice interventions should look beyond reparations payments to systematically dismantle systems of harm and oppression in an effort to eradicate the racial wealth gap and address the ills of structural racism.