Racial/ethnic variations in women's health: the social embeddedness of health.
This article provides an overview of the magnitude of and trends in racial/ethnic disparities in health for women in the United States. It emphasizes the importance of attending to diversity in the health profiles and populations of minority women. Socioeconomic status is a central determinant of racial/ethnic disparities in health, but several other factors, including medical care, geographic location, migration and acculturation, racism, and exposure to stress and resources also play a role. There is a need for renewed attention to monitoring, understanding, and actively seeking to eliminate racial/ethnic disparities in health.
Williams
David R
DR
Department of Sociology and Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, PO Box 1248, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1248, USA. wildavid@umich.edu
D000069:Acculturation; D002423:Cause of Death; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011287:Prejudice; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000208:ethnology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D016387:Women's Health