Description
Book SynopsisAcross the United States, Black people have shorter life expectancies than white peoplereflecting structural racism and deep-rooted drivers of population health. But are some cities more equal than others?The elimination of racial and ethnic inequitiesdifferences that are avoidable, unnecessary, and unfairhas been one of the overarching health-related goals of the United States for decades. Yet dramatic differences in health outcomes between Black people and white people persist, rooted in structural and social determinants of health. Nationally, a Black baby can expect to live four years less than a white baby. But mortality outcomes and inequities vary widely across cities. In Washington, DC, for example, the average life expectancy for Blacks is twelve years less than that of whites. But in other cities, mortality differences between races are less striking or nonexistent. If health equity can be achieved in some cities, why not all? This is arguably the most important health equity
Table of ContentsForeword by Julie Morita, Former Commissioner, Chicago Department of Public Health
Acknowledgments
Introduction. A Path to Health Equity for Cities
Part I. Entrenched Racial Health Inequities in the United States
Chapter 1. Context for Entrenched Racial Health Inequities
Chapter 2. Theorizing the Causes of Health Inequities
Part II. Racial Inequities in US Cities: An Analysis of Mortality Data
Chapter 3. Inequities in All-Cause Mortality, Life Expectancy, and Premature Mortality
Chapter 4. Inequities in the 10 Leading Causes of Death
Chapter 5. Inequities in Selected Causes of Death: HIV, Homicide, and Opioid
Part III. Epidemiological Patterns and Sociological Explanations
Chapter 6. Understanding Mortality Patterns and Inequities across US Cities
Part IV. Translating Data into Action: Practical Approaches to Health Equity
Chapter 7. Using a Social Justice Framework to Help Achieve Health Equity
Chapter 8. Data Are Not Enough: Moving toward Solutions-Focused Communication
Chapter 9. Mobilizing to Action: Overcoming Chicago's 16-Year Life Expectancy Gap
Conclusion. Next Steps on the Path to Health Equity
Appendix
About the Authors
Index
