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Intersectionality and opportunity-weighted cumulative (dis)advantage

Author

Listed:
  • Jo M. Hale

    (Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany)

  • Daniel C. Schneider

    (Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany)

  • Neil K. Mehta
  • Mikko Myrskylä

    (Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany)

Abstract

Grounded in theories of intersectionality and cumulative (dis)advantage, we develop complementary formalizations of (dis)advantage: one that captures the traditional practice of studying Cumulative (Dis)Advantage (CDA) that reflects inequalities in outcomes and Opportunity-Weighted CDA that additionally accounts for inequalities in opportunities. We study the properties of these (dis)advantages and show that traditional cumulative disadvantage and advantage are mutually exclusive; this is not true of opportunity-weighted CDA. Using these formalizations, we analyze the Health and Retirement Study (1998-2018) to assess how total life expectancy at age 50 is associated with the accumulation of racial/ethnic, nativity, gender, early-life, and educational (dis)advantages. We find that the benefits and penalties of one (dis)advantage depend on positionality on the other axes of inequality. Whites ubiquitously experience Cumulative Advantage: they benefit more from having higher education than Blacks and Latinx. However, when accounting for racial/ethnic inequities in educational attainment, results predominantly show Opportunity-Weighted Cumulative Disadvantage for Blacks and Latinx. Finally, we present a specification curve analysis that includes early-life adversity. Our contributions include the formalization (a mathematical grounding) of two CDA approaches – traditional and one that incorporates inequities in opportunities – and empirical results that comprehensively document the intersecting axes of stratification that perpetuate health inequities.

Suggested Citation

  • Jo M. Hale & Daniel C. Schneider & Neil K. Mehta & Mikko Myrskylä, 2023. "Intersectionality and opportunity-weighted cumulative (dis)advantage," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2023-040, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:wpaper:wp-2023-040
    DOI: 10.4054/MPIDR-WP-2023-040
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Angelo Lorenti & Christian Dudel & Jo M. Hale & Mikko Myrskylä, 2020. "Working and disability expectancies at old ages: the role of childhood circumstances and education," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2020-006, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    2. Lorenti, Angelo & Dudel, Christian & Hale, Jo Mhairi & Myrskylä, Mikko, 2020. "Working and disability expectancies at old ages: the role of childhood circumstances and education," SocArXiv q9z6p, Center for Open Science.
    3. Gkiouleka, Anna & Huijts, Tim & Beckfield, Jason & Bambra, Clare, 2018. "Understanding the micro and macro politics of health: Inequalities, intersectionality & institutions - A research agenda," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 200(C), pages 92-98.
    4. Lorenti, Angelo & Dudel, Christian & Hale, Jo Mhairi & Myrskylä, Mikko, 2020. "Working and disability expectancies at older ages: the role of childhood circumstances and education," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 106194, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    5. Jennifer Montez & Mark Hayward, 2014. "Cumulative Childhood Adversity, Educational Attainment, and Active Life Expectancy Among U.S. Adults," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 51(2), pages 413-435, April.
    6. Kenneth F Ferraro & Patricia M Morton, 2018. "What Do We Mean by Accumulation? Advancing Conceptual Precision for a Core Idea in Gerontology," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 73(2), pages 269-278.
    7. Jo Mhairi Hale, 2017. "Cognitive Disparities: The Impact of the Great Depression and Cumulative Inequality on Later-Life Cognitive Function," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 54(6), pages 2125-2158, December.
    8. Mehta, Neil & Preston, Samuel, 2016. "Are major behavioral and sociodemographic risk factors for mortality additive or multiplicative in their effects?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 93-99.
    9. Millimet, Daniel L. & Nieswiadomy, Michael & Ryu, Hang & Slottje, Daniel, 2003. "Estimating worklife expectancy: an econometric approach," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 113(1), pages 83-113, March.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    USA; life expectancy; social demography; social stratification;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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