How Losing Family Members Earlier than Expected Adds to Racial Disadvantage for U.S. Blacks

Files
prc-brief-2-1-umberson-bereavement.pdf (179.22 KB)
Date
2017-01
Authors
Umberson, Debra
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Texas at Austin Population Research Center
Abstract
Department
Population Research Center
Description
PRC director Debra Umberson uses nationally representative data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth and the Health and Retirement Study to estimate the differences by race in the likelihood that Blacks will be exposed to more deaths of close family members than Whites throughout their lives. The data shows that Black Americans experience more family member deaths than Whites overall, and specific losses occur earlier in life. Studying this question is important because it could reveal an added layer of racial disadvantage suffered by Blacks that is not captured by differences in life expectancy or mortality alone.
Keywords
life expectancy , racial disadvantage , mortality , PRC research brief
Citation
Umberson, D. (2017). How losing family members earlier than expected adds to racial disadvantage for U.S. blacks. PRC Research Brief 2(1). https://doi. org/10.15781/T2N29PC1R
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/2152/62417
Collections
PRC Research & Policy Brief Series