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Things Fall Apart: Health Consequences of Mass Imprisonment for African American Women

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  • Hedwig Lee
  • Christopher Wildeman

Abstract

In this article, we examine the possible impact of mass imprisonment on the physical health of African American women. Specifically, we focus on a variety of mechanisms through which mass imprisonment may increase the risk of having three major chronic health conditions that are risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD): hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. This approach is distinctive in that it provides a broad theoretical framework through which mass imprisonment might harm the physical health of African American women in ways separate from the pathways linking mass imprisonment to their risk of contracting infectious diseases (especially HIV and other STIs), which has been the emphasis of most research in this area. In order to draw these connections, we begin by briefly discussing what mass imprisonment is and its social consequences. We then discuss our three CVD risk factors, documenting disparities between white and African American women in these risk factors and discussing mechanisms through which mass imprisonment might contribute to these disparities. We close by discussing the data needed to test our hypotheses and suggesting some avenues for future research. Copyright Springer Science + Business Media, LLC 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Hedwig Lee & Christopher Wildeman, 2013. "Things Fall Apart: Health Consequences of Mass Imprisonment for African American Women," The Review of Black Political Economy, Springer;National Economic Association, vol. 40(1), pages 39-52, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:blkpoe:v:40:y:2013:i:1:p:39-52
    DOI: 10.1007/s12114-011-9112-4
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. repec:pri:crcwel:wp09-19-ff is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Christopher Wildeman, 2011. "Parental Incarceration, Child Homelessness, and the Invisible Consequences of Mass Imprisonment," Working Papers 1281, Princeton University, School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Research on Child Wellbeing..
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    Cited by:

    1. repec:pri:crcwel:wp13-12-ff is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Kristin Turney, 2013. "Liminal Men: Incarceration and Family Instability," Working Papers 1478, Princeton University, School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Research on Child Wellbeing..
    3. Megan Comfort, 2016. "“A Twenty-Hour-a-Day Jobâ€," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 665(1), pages 63-79, May.
    4. Copp, Jennifer E. & Johnson, Elizabeth I. & Bolland, Anneliese C. & Bolland, John, 2021. "Household member arrest and adolescent externalizing behaviors: The roles of family and peer climates," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    5. Sewell, Abigail A. & Jefferson, Kevin A. & Lee, Hedwig, 2016. "Living under surveillance: Gender, psychological distress, and stop-question-and-frisk policing in New York City," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 1-13.
    6. Sirois, Catherine, 2020. "The strain of sons' incarceration on mothers’ health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 264(C).
    7. Becky Pettit & Carmen Gutierrez, 2018. "Mass Incarceration and Racial Inequality," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 77(3-4), pages 1153-1182, May.
    8. Erin Pullen & Carrie Oser, 2017. "Disadvantaged Status and Health Matters Networks among Low-Income African American Women," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 6(3), pages 1-19, September.

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