Class/Poverty/Income

Introduction This article brings together studies across disciplines to understand the relationship between structural racism, poverty, and child health. Structural racism is defined as “differential access to societal goods, services, and opportunities by race.” The authors argue that a focus on poverty without appropriate consideration of racism has failed to address the negative health outcomes…

This study uses data from a national survey to examine the wealth distribution of white, Black, and Latinx households in the United States. The authors identify wealth disparities between white and Black households and between white and Latinx households across the entire distribution. Introduction In addition to income, wealth—defined as “the total of all assets…

This study argues that health inequalities research systematically overlooks the role that racially and socioeconomically privileged groups play in producing health disparities and documents this “diversion” across grants, datasets, published articles, and national health policy. Introduction This study examines a significant blind spot in health inequalities research: the near-total absence of scrutiny directed toward racially…

Introduction This report examines how the federal income tax system contributes to racial disparities in the United States. Although tax provisions do not reference race directly, they operate in an economic landscape shaped by deep, persistent inequity. The authors argue that the code distributes benefits in ways that reflect long-standing disparities, particularly between Black and…

Introduction This article challenges the idea that credit scores are neutral indicators of financial behavior. Credit scores are commonly used to make decisions about housing, employment, utilities, insurance, and educational opportunities, yet their widespread acceptance masks the racial and economic hierarchies these scores help sustain. Therefore, authors argue that credit scoring actually reinforces systems of…

Introduction In the US, a college degree is a prerequisite for access to many middle-class and high-paying jobs. Yet, the social and economic payoff of a college degree is racialized, as evidenced by the highest economic disparities across races existing within the college-educated middle class. Relatedly, a growing body of research recognizes that the burdens…

Introduction Access to sufficient and affordable credit is a key determinant of a business startup’s ability to finance projects and pursue growth opportunities. An entrepreneur’s creditworthiness is often assessed using their credit score, which has been lauded for expanding access to credit and financing to credit-worthy business owners. However, research also suggests the credit-scoring process…

Introduction In the United States, racial and gender identity are correlated with wide disparities in economic outcomes. While women earn less than men on aggregate, Black and Latinx women fare worse than both white women and Black and Latinx men in terms of income, wealth, and employment. Yet, most scholars lack a critical understanding of…

Introduction Cities are important ecosystems shaped by dynamic and interdependent biological, physical and social influences. However, Schell et al. note that few studies link research on urban ecological and evolutionary studies to that of social inequality. They argue it is integral to integrate these disciplines as human-created systems of power create uneven impacts on non-human…

Introduction Despite the demonstrated benefits of preventive medicine, only 45% of American adults typically get a flu shot during flu season. Vaccine hesitancy is particularly common among Black and white lower socioeconomic status men, who don’t trust doctors and are skeptical of the benefits relative to the perceived risk. For Black Americans, this mistrust is…