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Under the skin: Using theories from biology and the social sciences to explore the mechanisms behind the black-white health gap

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  • Green, T.L.
  • Darity Jr., W.A.

Abstract

Equity and social wellbeing considerations make Black-White health disparities an area of important concern. Although previous research suggests that discrimination- and poverty-related stressors play a role in African American health outcomes, the mechanisms are unclear. Allostatic load is a conceptthatcan beemployed to demonstrate how environmental stressors, including psychosocial ones, may lead to a cumulative physiological toll on the body. We discuss both the usefulness of this framework forunderstanding how discrimination can lead to worse health among African Americans, and the challenges for conceptualizing biological risk, with existing data and methods. We also contrast allostatic load with theories of historical trauma such as posttraumatic slavery syndrome. Finally, we offer our suggestions for future interdisciplinary research on health disparities.

Suggested Citation

  • Green, T.L. & Darity Jr., W.A., 2010. "Under the skin: Using theories from biology and the social sciences to explore the mechanisms behind the black-white health gap," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 100(S1), pages 36-40.
    • Handle: RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2009.171140_3
    DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2009.171140
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    Cited by:

    1. Marilyn S. Nanney & Samuel L. Myers & Man Xu & Kateryna Kent & Thomas Durfee & Michele L. Allen, 2019. "The Economic Benefits of Reducing Racial Disparities in Health: The Case of Minnesota," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-13, March.
    2. Mohatt, Nathaniel Vincent & Thompson, Azure B. & Thai, Nghi D. & Tebes, Jacob Kraemer, 2014. "Historical trauma as public narrative: A conceptual review of how history impacts present-day health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 128-136.
    3. Kennedy-Moulton, Kate & Miller, Sarah & Persson, Petra & Rossin-Slater, Maya & Wherry, Laura R. & Aldana, Gloria, 2022. "Maternal and Infant Health Inequality: New Evidence from Linked Administrative Data," IZA Discussion Papers 15745, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Green, Tiffany L. & Hamilton, Tod G., 2013. "Beyond black and white: Color and mortality in post-reconstruction era North Carolina," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 148-159.
    5. Schwartz, Joseph A., 2017. "Long-term physical health consequences of perceived inequality: Results from a twin comparison design," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 187(C), pages 184-192.
    6. Bridget J. Goosby & Elizabeth Straley & Jacob E. Cheadle, 2017. "Discrimination, Sleep, and Stress Reactivity: Pathways to African American-White Cardiometabolic Risk Inequities," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 36(5), pages 699-716, October.
    7. Richardson, Eugene T. & Malik, Momin M. & Darity, William A. & Mullen, A. Kirsten & Morse, Michelle E. & Malik, Maya & Maybank, Aletha & Bassett, Mary T. & Farmer, Paul E. & Worden, Lee & Jones, James, 2021. "Reparations for Black American descendants of persons enslaved in the U.S. and their potential impact on SARS-CoV-2 transmission," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 276(C).

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