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Racial residential segregation and black low birth weight, 1970–2010

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  • Niemesh, Gregory T.
  • Shester, Katharine L.

Abstract

The black-white gap in low birth weight in the United States remains large and mostly unexplained. We explore the relationship between racial residential segregation and black and white birth weights and how it changed between 1970 and 2010. We find the negative relationship between segregation and black birth outcomes emerges after 1980. Maternal socioeconomic status and behaviors account for 29–40 percent of the effect of segregation between 2000 and 2010. Single motherhood and mother's education, and unobservable factors that load onto these variables, play important and increasing roles. After controlling for MSA and parent characteristics, segregation explains 15–21 percent of the raw black-white gap in low birth weight between 2000 and 2010.

Suggested Citation

  • Niemesh, Gregory T. & Shester, Katharine L., 2020. "Racial residential segregation and black low birth weight, 1970–2010," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:regeco:v:83:y:2020:i:c:s0166046219303886
    DOI: 10.1016/j.regsciurbeco.2020.103542
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    3. Zerong Wang, 2022. "The Influence of Ethnic Identity on the Academic Performance of Chinese College Students: An Empirical Study Based on the Administrative Data of a University," Review of Economic Assessment, Anser Press, vol. 1(1), pages 1-21, December.
    4. Vu, Cecilia & Arcaya, Mariana C. & Kawachi, Ichiro & Williams, David R., 2023. "Moving to opportunity? Low birth weight outcomes among Southern-born Black mothers during the Great Migration," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 328(C).
    5. Martin Boďa & David Cole & Mária Murray Svidroňová & Jolana Gubalová, 2022. "Prevailing narratives versus reality of a small and medium town decline in a CEE country," Operational Research, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 3113-3145, July.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Racial segregation; Residential segregation; Low birth weight; Infant health;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population

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