Poor Health of Middle-Class Black Adults

There is an overwhelimg evidence that health inequalities sustain among high socieconomic status (SES) and middle-class Black adults. Analysis of the HRS, NSAL, MIDUS, UAS, LA-FANS, and NHIS data show that the effects of SES on depression, suicide, tobacco use, alcohol use, self-rated health, well-being, heart disease, respiratory disease, diet, exercise, obesity, health care use, hospitalization, and mortality are all weaker in Black than White adults. High SES Black adults report more job-related stress and lower financial security. High SES Black people are also exposed to high second-hand smoke and tobacco advertisement. Black men who are high-income and highly educated families are most not least depressed. This is shown to be in part due to proximity to Whites. Here is a full list of publications.