Journal of health economics and development最新文献

Background: As suggested by the Minorities' Diminished Returns (MDR) theory, socioeconomic status (SES) systemically results in smaller outcomes for non-Whites compared to Whites. We still know very little about diminished trans-generational returns of SES resources such as parental educational attainment (PEA).

Purpose: This cross-sectional study explored racial variation in the effect of PEA on the college students' grade point average (GPA) in the US.

Methods: The Healthy Mind Study (HMS, 2016-2017) is a national telephone of college students in the US. The total sample was 18,072 domestic undergraduate college students who were either non-Hispanic Whites (n = 16,718; %92.50) or non-Hispanic Blacks (n = 1,354; %7.50). The independent variable was PEA. The main outcome was GPA measured using self-reported data. Age, gender, sexual orientation, transgender status, and financial difficulty were covariates. Race/ethnicity was the effect modifier. Linear regression models were used to analyze the data.

Results: Overall, higher PEA was associated with a higher GPA, independent of all possible confounders. Race/ethnicity, however, showed a significant interaction with PEA on students' GPA, indicating a smaller positive effect of PEA on non-Hispanic Blacks compared to non-Hispanic Whites college students' GPA. Race/ethnicity stratified models also showed a larger effect for White than Black students.

Conclusions: The boosting effect of PEA in GPA is smaller for Black compared to White college students. US should systematically reduce extra costs of upward social mobility for racial and ethnic minority families.

Introduction: Although educational attainment and income are protective against tobacco use, Marginalization-related Diminished Returns (MDRs) theory posits that the protective effects of socioeconomic status (SES) indicators may be smaller for marginalized groups than mainstream social groups. We aimed to compare the effects of educational attainment and income on current smoking status of Chinese American and European American adults.

Methods: Data came from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS - 2015). A total number of 28081 individuals entered our analysis. This included 420 Chinese Americans and 27661 European Americans. The independent variables were educational attainment (years of schooling) and annual income. The dependent variable was current established smoking status. Age, gender, region, and marital status were covariates. Ethnicity (Chinese American vs. European American) was the moderator.

Results: Overall, educational attainment and income were inversely associated with the odds of current established smoking. Ethnicity showed a significant interaction with income but not educational attainment. This finding suggested that the protective effect of income, but not educational attainment, on odds of current established smoking might be smaller for Chinese Americans than European Americans.

Conclusions: While educational attainment reduces the odds of current established smoking, high-income Chinese Americans remain at high risk of smoking due to a phenomenon called MDRs. In fact, high income is associated with greater smoking prevalence in Chinese Americans, rather than less. To reduce ethnic disparities in tobacco use, we need to go beyond SES inequalities by addressing structural causes of higher than expected risk of smoking in high SES ethnic minorities.

Background: Educational attainment and income are central to maintenance of body mass index (BMI), physical activity, and self-rated health (SRH). However, less is known about how social groups differ in the role of educational attainment and income on subsequent changes in these health outcomes. This study compared race/ethnicity by gender groups of older Americans for the effects of baseline educational attainment and income on subsequent changes in BMI, physical activity, and SRH.

Methods: The Health and Retirement Study (HRS) followed 37,495 male and female White and African American people above age 50 for 6 years from 2004 to 2010. This number included 15,581 White women, 12,495 White men, 5,580 African American women, and 3,839 African American men. Physical activity, BMI, and SRH were measured every two years. Multi-group structural equation modeling (latent growth curve modeling) was used to compare race/ethnicity by gender groups for the protective effects of educational attainment and income in 2004 on a decline in physical activity, BMI, and SRH from 2004 to 2010.

Results: Major race/ethnicity by gender differences were observed in the effects of baseline educational attainment and income on changes in BMI, physical activity, and SRH. Educational attainment and income showed more salient roles for White men and women than African American men and women. To give some examples, baseline education (years) was associated with changes in physical activity of White women and changes in BMI of White men, while baseline income was associated with changes in SRH of White Women. We did not find evidence suggesting that baseline income fully mediates the effect of baseline educational attainment on health outcomes, as in many instances, educational attainment but not income was associated with health changes over time.

Conclusion: The intersection of race/ethnicity and gender alters how educational attainment and income protects against subsequent changes in physical activity, BMI, and SRH. Social groups may vary in operant mechanisms by which social determinants of health prevent health decline in the United States.