The benefits of life table analysis for describing disproportionality.
This article reviews how life table analysis can improve on cross-sectional analysis of disproportionality by comparing African American and Caucasian children's risk of being investigated for child maltreatment or being placed in foster care before their 10th birthday. We then highlight the application of life table results in advocacy. Newspaper commentaries and presentations for community groups using these results raised awareness with policymakers and in turn helped to increase funding and programming that addresses disproportionality. Life table results point to the role of age and geography in understanding why disproportionality occurs. We conclude by describing how one community is using these results to develop interventions and reform strategies based on addressing these age and geography factors.
Crampton
David
D
Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-7164, USA.
Coulton
Claudia J
CJ
D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002669:Child Welfare / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005581:Foster Home Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015993:Life Tables; D008297:Male; D009820:Ohio; D011287:Prejudice; D011640:Public Policy; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*