Intersectional Race-by-Gender Disparities in Preventive Health Practices among U.S. Adults

• In Event: 343 - Section on Medical Sociology Roundtables (one-hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 21. Race, Class, Gender Intersectionality and Health

Abstract

A growing body of research has called for consideration of intersectional identities when studying health disparities. We use recently collected data from the American’s Changing Lives study to explore race-by-gender differences in utilization of a wide array of preventive health practices and services. We also examine the extent to which measures of socioeconomic status, health insurance and health status explain differences between non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic black men and women. Preliminary results suggest the presence of both “main effects” disparities, such as lower use of daily aspirin for heart health among women than men, but higher daily vitamin use among women, or the lower likelihood of missing blood sure checks or colon cancer screenings among Black compared to white respondents. We also find evidence for “intersectional” disparities, such as the low dental care use of African American men compared to all other groups, or the relative advantages for white women in terms of fruit and vegetable or olive oil consumption.

Author

• Katrina Hauschildt, University of Michigan