The elimination of racial and ethnic inequities-differences that are avoidable, unnecessary, and unfair-has been one of the overarching health-related goals of the United States for decades. Yet dramatic differences in health outcomes between Blacks and whites 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 issue of our time. In Unequal Cities, Maureen R. Benjamins and Fernando G. De Maio gather a team of experts to explore these racial inequities, as well as the ten-year gap in life expectancy between our healthiest and unhealthiest big cities. Rigorous analyses give readers access to previously unavailable data on life expectancy, mortality from leading causes of death, and related Black-white inequities for the country's 30 biggest cities. The theoretically grounded essays also explore how characteristics of cities, including their levels of income inequality and racial segregation, impact overall health and Black-white inequities. The first book to specifically examine racial health inequities within and across US cities, Unequal Cities offers a social justice framework for addressing the newly identified inequities, as well as specific case studies to help public health advocates, civic leaders, and other stakeholders envision the steps needed to improve their cities' current health outcomes and achieve racial equity. A powerful call to action for health equity advocates and city leaders alike, this book is essential reading. Contributors: David Ansell, Darlene Oliver Hightower, Jana Hirschtick, Sharon Homan, Ayesha Jaco, Emily LaFlamme, Brittney S. Lange-Maia, Kristin Monnard, Nikhil G. Prachand, Pamela T. Roesch, Michael Rozier, Nazia Saiyed, Eve Shapiro, Abigail Silva, Veenu Verma, the West Side United Metrics Working Group, Ruqaiijah Yearby
Maureen R. Benjamins (CHICAGO, IL) is a senior research fellow at the Sinai Urban Health Institute. She is the coeditor of Urban Health: Combating Disparities with Local Data. Fernando G. De Maio (CHICAGO, IL) is a professor in the Department of Sociology at DePaul University and the director of health equity research and data use at the American Medical Association Center for Health Equity. He is the coeditor of Community Health Equity: A Chicago Reader.
Foreword Julie Morita, Former Commissioner, Chicago Department of Public Health Acknowledgments Introduction. A Path to Health Equity for Cities Maureen R. Benjamins and Fernando G. De Maio Part I. Entrenched Racial Health Inequities in the United States Chapter 1. Context for Entrenched Racial Health Inequities Maureen R. Benjamins, Fernando G. De Maio, and Ruqaiijah Yearby Chapter 2. Theorizing the Causes of Health Inequities Fernando G. De Maio and Maureen R. Benjamins Part II. Racial Inequities in US Cities: An Analysis of Mortality Data Chapter 3. Inequities in All-Cause Mortality, Life Expectancy, and Premature Mortality Maureen R. Benjamins, Nazia Saiyed, Abigail Silva, and Fernando G. De Maio Chapter 4. Inequities in the 10 Leading Causes of Death Abigail Silva, Nazia Saiyed, Fernando G. De Maio, and Maureen R. Benjamins Chapter 5. Inequities in Selected Causes of Death: HIV, Homicide, and Opioid Abigail Silva, Nazia Saiyed, and Maureen R. Benjamins Part III. Epidemiological Patterns and Sociological Explanations Chapter 6. Understanding Mortality Patterns and Inequities across US Cities Fernando G. De Maio, Maureen R. Benjamins, Abigail Silva, and Nazia Saiyed Part IV. Translating Data into Action: Practical Approaches to Health Equity Chapter 7. Using a Social Justice Framework to Help Achieve Health Equity Abigail Silva, Michael Rozier, and Sharon Homan Chapter 8. Data Are Not Enough: Moving toward Solutions-Focused Communication Kristin Monnard, Jana Hirschtick, Maureen R. Benjamins, and Pamela T. Roesch Chapter 9. Mobilizing to Action: Overcoming Chicago's 16-Year Life Expectancy Gap Pamela T. Roesch, Brittney S. Lange-Maia, Eve Shapiro, Darlene Oliver Hightower, Veenu Verma, Nikhil G. Prachand, Emily LaFlamme, Ayesha Jaco, David Ansell, Sharon Homan, and the West Side United Metrics Working Group Conclusion. Next Steps on the Path to Health Equity Maureen R. Benjamins and Fernando G. De Maio Appendix About the Authors Index
Across the United States, Blacks have shorter life expectancies than whites-reflecting structural racism and deep-rooted drivers of population health. But are some cities more equal than others?
