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September 7, 2021
9781421440996
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September 7, 2021
9781421441009
9781421440996
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$42.00 USD, £35.00 GBP
v2.1 Reference

Unequal Cities

Structural Racism and the Death Gap in America's Largest Cities

Across the United States, Black people have shorter life expectancies than white people—reflecting structural racism and deep-rooted drivers of population health. But are some cities more equal than others?

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 Black people and white people 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

About the Authors

Maureen R. Benjamins 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 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.

Endorsements

"An illuminating book packed with eye-opening insights, lessons learned, and an unprecedented blueprint for how we can transform our communities into healthy, equitable, and inclusive places. Unequal Cities is a must-read for those who are ready to move beyond merely nibbling around the edges of the problem of health inequities."

- Daniel E. Dawes, Executive Director, Satcher Health Leadership Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine, author of The Political Determinants of Health

"Unequal Cities is a seminal treatise that skillfully documents the root cause of health inequities, describing how racism and discrimination limit access to the very opportunities and resources each of us need for optimal health and well-being. The authors are to be commended for demanding that we use this information to act."

- Barbara Ferrer, Director, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

"Unequal Cities lays bare the intergenerational and systemic effects of disinvestment and dehumanization on the life span and health of marginalized and minoritized communities in a digestible way. The authors eloquently and impressively describe the imperative of progress from mere data analysis to action through a health equity lens."

- Aletha Maybank, American Medical Association
Johns Hopkins University Press
Health Equity in America
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Hardback
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