Economic Competition and Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Sentencing: A Test of Economic Threat Perspective

Economic threat arguments within the broader racial/ethnic threat theory suggest that economic competition between minorities and Whites encourages the majority group to apply formal social controls on minorities to maintain their advantaged positions. Prior sentencing research has given limited attention to economic threat and has only done so using cross-sectional measures, which does not capture changing economic circumstances (a key element of racial/ethnic threat). The goal of this study is to provide a test of economic threat—and racial/ethnic threat more broadly—utilizing time variant measures. To achieve this goal, we use case-level data from the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission (N = 122,666) and county-level data from the United States Census Bureau. Multilevel regression models reveal partial but limited support for economic threat. Specifically, counties with a growing portion of minorities living above the poverty line between 2000 and 2010 had larger minority disadvantages (in comparison to Whites) at incarceration. However, economic threat measures do not significantly contextualize minority–White sentence length differences, while the broader racial/ethnic threat measures do not significantly influence minority–White outcomes at the incarceration or sentencing length decision. The results suggest that economic threat may explain a small but limited portion of the racial disparities identified.

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Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Years of Potential Life Lost Attributable to COVID-19 in the United States: An Analysis of 45 States and the District of Columbia

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18062921 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (6) ◽

pp. 2921

Author(s):

Jay J. Xu ◽

Jarvis T. Chen ◽

Thomas R. Belin ◽

Ronald S. Brookmeyer ◽

Marc A. Suchard ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

District Of Columbia ◽

Ethnic Disparities ◽

The United States ◽

Attributable Mortality ◽

Race Ethnicity ◽

Using Data ◽

Rate Ratios ◽

Degree Of Association ◽

Racial Ethnic

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic in the United States has disproportionately impacted communities of color across the country. Focusing on COVID-19-attributable mortality, we expand upon a national comparative analysis of years of potential life lost (YPLL) attributable to COVID-19 by race/ethnicity (Bassett et al., 2020), estimating percentages of total YPLL for non-Hispanic Whites, non-Hispanic Blacks, Hispanics, non-Hispanic Asians, and non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Natives, contrasting them with their respective percent population shares, as well as age-adjusted YPLL rate ratios—anchoring comparisons to non-Hispanic Whites—in each of 45 states and the District of Columbia using data from the National Center for Health Statistics as of 30 December 2020. Using a novel Monte Carlo simulation procedure to perform estimation, our results reveal substantial racial/ethnic disparities in COVID-19-attributable YPLL across states, with a prevailing pattern of non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics experiencing disproportionately high and non-Hispanic Whites experiencing disproportionately low COVID-19-attributable YPLL. Furthermore, estimated disparities are generally more pronounced when measuring mortality in terms of YPLL compared to death counts, reflecting the greater intensity of the disparities at younger ages. We also find substantial state-to-state variability in the magnitudes of the estimated racial/ethnic disparities, suggesting that they are driven in large part by social determinants of health whose degree of association with race/ethnicity varies by state.

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Rurality of Residence and Inappropriate Antibiotic Use for ARI Among Young Tennessee Children

Open Forum Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/ofid/ofaa587 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Keerti L Dantuluri ◽

Jean Bruce ◽

Kathryn M Edwards ◽

Ritu Banerjee ◽

Hannah Griffith ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Incidence Rate Ratio ◽

Respiratory Infections ◽

Antibiotic Use ◽

The United States ◽

Census Bureau ◽

Outpatient Setting ◽

United States Census ◽

United States Census Bureau ◽

Adjusted Incidence Rate ◽

Adjusted Incidence

Abstract Background Antibiotic use is common for acute respiratory infections (ARI) in children, but much of this use is inappropriate. Few studies have examined whether rurality of residence is associated with inappropriate antibiotic use. We examined whether rates of ARI-related inappropriate antibiotic use among children vary by rurality of residence. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of children aged 2 months – 5 years enrolled in Tennessee Medicaid between 2007 and 2017 and diagnosed with ARI in the outpatient setting. Study outcomes included ARI, ARI-related antibiotic use, and ARI-related inappropriate antibiotic use. Multivariable Poisson regression was used to measure associations between rurality of residence, defined by the United States Census Bureau, and the rate of study outcomes, while accounting for other factors including demographics and underling comorbidities. Results 805,332 children met selection criteria and contributed 1,840,048 person-years (p-y) of observation. Children residing in completely rural, mostly rural, and mostly urban counties contributed 70,369 (4%) p-y, 479,121 (26%) p-y, and 1,290,558 p-y (70%), respectively. Compared with children in mostly urban counties (238 per 1000 p-y), children in mostly rural (450 per 1000 p-y) and completely rural counties (468 per 1000 p-y) had higher rates of inappropriate antibiotic use (adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR]: 1.34 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.33 – 1.35) and aIRR: 1.33 (CI: 1.32 – 1.35), respectively). Conclusion Inappropriate antibiotic use is common among young children with ARI, with higher rates in rural compared to urban counties. These differences should inform targeted outpatient antibiotic stewardship efforts.

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Eliminating Racial/Ethnic Disparities in AIDS Clinical Trials in the United States: A Qualitative Exploration of an Efficacious Social/Behavioral Intervention

Journal of AIDS & Clinical Research ◽

10.4172/2155-6113.1000648 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 08 (01) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Amanda Ritchie ◽

Marya Viorst Gwadz ◽

David Perlman ◽

Rebecca De Guzman ◽

Noelle R Leoard ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Clinical Trials ◽

Behavioral Intervention ◽

Ethnic Disparities ◽

The United States ◽

Aids Clinical Trials ◽

Qualitative Exploration ◽

Racial Ethnic

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Racial/Ethnic Disparities in ART Adherence in the United States

JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes ◽

10.1097/qai.0b013e31825db0bd ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 60 (5) ◽

pp. 466-472 ◽

Cited By ~ 95

Author(s):

Jane M. Simoni ◽

David Huh ◽

Ira B. Wilson ◽

Jie Shen ◽

Kathy Goggin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Ethnic Disparities ◽

The United States ◽

Art Adherence ◽

Racial Ethnic

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Do Black Lives Matter in the American Public’s Mitigation Responses to the Covid-19 Pandemic? A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Mask Wearing and Racial/ethnic Disparities in Deaths from COVID-19 in the United States

10.21203/rs.3.rs-445021/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Berkeley Franz ◽

Adrienne Milner ◽

Jomills H. Braddock

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Residential Segregation ◽

Ethnic Disparities ◽

The United States ◽

Ethnic Composition ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Public Health Challenges ◽

History Of ◽

Sectional Analysis ◽

Racial Ethnic

Abstract Background: Anti-black and anti-Hispanic attitudes in the U.S. must be included in efforts to understand resistance to public health measures, such as mask wearing, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Focusing on the structural and individual context of racism will enable us to improve public health and better prepare for future public health challenges. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between mask usage, racial segregation, and racial disparities in COVID-19 deaths.Methods: We used linear regression to assess whether the racial/ethnic composition of deaths and residential segregation predicted Americans’ decisions to wear masks in July 2020. Results: After controlling for mask mandates, mask usage increased when the White death rates relative to Black and Hispanic rates increased. Conclusions: Mask wearing may be shaped by an insensitivity to Black and Hispanic deaths and a corresponding unwillingness to engage in health protective behaviors. The broader history of systemic racism and residential segregation may also explain why white Americans do not wear masks or perceive themselves to be at risk when communities of color are disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

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The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and the Middle Class

JABM JOURNAL of ACCOUNTING - BUSINESS & MANAGEMENT ◽

10.31966/jabminternational.v26i01.398 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 26 (01) ◽

pp. 53

Author(s):

Deborah Combs ◽

Brian Nichols

Keyword(s):

Middle Class ◽

The United States ◽

Census Bureau ◽

Tax Rates ◽

United States Census ◽

United States Census Bureau ◽

Definition Of ◽

Almost All ◽

Jobs Act ◽

Tax Cuts

This paper explores how the tax cuts and jobs act of 2017 impacts middle-class taxpayers by calculating the tax liability at different levels of income and deductions in 2017 versus 2018. The results confirm the statements supporting the positive effect of the tax change for the middle class. The tax cut and jobs act eliminates personal exemptions, changes the standard deductions at various incomes and family sizes, and lowers marginal tax rates. After providing details of the act, this research examines the definition of the U.S. middle class by using prior research from the Pew Research Center, the United States Census Bureau, and the federal reserve to determine which income levels are attributable to the middle class. Then the tax liability for these income classes is calculated for single and married filing jointly taxpayers in both 2017 and 2018 to determine if the tax cuts and jobs act reduces the tax liability for the middle class. The results show that in almost all scenarios the tax liability in 2018 will be lower than in 2017, regardless of whether standard or itemized deductions are taken. The marriage penalty is no longer applicable, and the new tax act provides a substantial benefit to large families

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Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Mortality: Contributions and Variations by Rurality in the United States, 2012–2015

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16030436 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. 436 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Jeffrey Hall ◽

Ramal Moonesinghe ◽

Karen Bouye ◽

Ana Penman-Aguilar

Keyword(s):

Rural Areas ◽

Ethnic Disparities ◽

The United States ◽

Mortality Rates ◽

Malignant Neoplasms ◽

Ethnic Populations ◽

Asian Pacific Islanders ◽

Race Ethnicity ◽

Asian Pacific ◽

Racial Ethnic

The value of disaggregating non-metropolitan and metropolitan area deaths in illustrating place-based health effects is evident. However, how place interacts with characteristics such as race/ethnicity has been less firmly established. This study compared socioeconomic characteristics and age-adjusted mortality rates by race/ethnicity in six rurality designations and assessed the contributions of mortality rate disparities between non-Hispanic blacks (NHBs) and non-Hispanic whites (NHWs) in each designation to national disparities. Compared to NHWs, age-adjusted mortality rates for: (1) NHBs were higher for all causes (combined), heart disease, malignant neoplasms, and cerebrovascular disease; (2) American Indian and Alaska Natives were significantly higher for all causes in rural areas; (3) Asian Pacific islanders and Hispanics were either lower or not significantly different in all areas for all causes combined and all leading causes of death examined. The largest contribution to the U.S. disparity in mortality rates between NHBs and NHWs originated from large central metropolitan areas. Place-based variations in mortality rates and disparities may reflect resource, and access inequities that are often greater and have greater health consequences for some racial/ethnic populations than others. Tailored, systems level actions may help eliminate mortality disparities existing at intersections between race/ethnicity and place.

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Infant Mortality among Adolescent Mothers in the United States: A 5-Year Analysis of Racial and Ethnic Disparities

American Journal of Perinatology ◽

10.1055/s-0040-1714678 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Matthew D. Moore ◽

Anne E. Brisendine ◽

Martha S. Wingate

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Preterm Birth ◽

Infant Mortality ◽

Ethnic Disparities ◽

The United States ◽

Racial And Ethnic Disparities ◽

Postneonatal Mortality ◽

Maternal Characteristics ◽

Race Ethnicity ◽

Racial Ethnic

Objective This study was aimed to examine differences in infant mortality outcomes across maternal age subgroups less than 20 years in the United States with a specific focus on racial and ethnic disparities. Study Design Using National Center for Health Statistics cohort-linked live birth–infant death files (2009-2013) in this cross-sectional study, we calculated descriptive statistics by age (<15, 15–17, and 18–19 years) and racial/ethnic subgroups (non-Hispanic white [NHW], non-Hispanic black [NHB], and Hispanic) for infant, neonatal, and postneonatal mortality. Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) were calculated by race/ethnicity and age. Preterm birth and other maternal characteristics were included as covariates. Results Disparities were greatest for mothers <15 and NHB mothers. The risk of infant mortality among mothers <15 years compared to 18 to 19 years was higher regardless of race/ethnicity (NHW: aOR = 1.40, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06–1.85; NHB: aOR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.04–1.56; Hispanic: aOR = 1.36, 95%CI: 1.07–1.74). Compared to NHW mothers, NHB mothers had a consistently higher risk of infant mortality (15–17 years: aOR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.03–1.21; 18–19 years: aOR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.15–1.27), while Hispanic mothers had a consistently lower risk (15–17 years: aOR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.66–0.78; 18–19 years: aOR = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.70–0.78). Adjusting for preterm birth had a greater influence than maternal characteristics on observed group differences in mortality. For neonatal and postneonatal mortality, patterns of disparities based on age and race/ethnicity differed from those of overall infant mortality. Conclusion Although infants born to younger mothers were at increased risk of mortality, variations by race/ethnicity and timing of death existed. When adjusted for preterm birth, differences in risk across age subgroups declined and, for some racial/ethnic groups, disappeared. Key Points

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