Inequality in mortality between Black and White Americans by age, place, and cause and in comparison to Europe, 1990 to 2018

Hannes Schwandt, Janet Currie, Marlies Bär, James Banks, Paola Bertoli, Aline Bütikofer, Sarah Cattan, Beatrice Zong-Ying Chao, Claudia Costa, Libertad Gonzalez, Veronica Grembi, Kristiina Huttunen, René Karadakic, Lucy Kraftman, Sonya Krutikova, Stefano Lombardi, Peter Redler, Carlos Riumallo-Herl, Ana Rodríguez-González, Kjell G Salvanes, Paula Santana, Josselin Thuilliez, Eddy Van Doorslaer, Tom Van Ourti, Joachim Winter, Bram Wouterse and Amelie Wuppermann
Additional contact information
Marlies Bär: Erasmus School of Health Policy and Management |Rotterdam]
James Banks: University of Manchester [Manchester], Institute for Fiscal Studies - University of Manchester [Manchester]
Paola Bertoli: UNIVR - Università degli studi di Verona = University of Verona
Sarah Cattan: IFS - The Institute for Fiscal Studies - The Institute for Fiscal Studies
Beatrice Zong-Ying Chao: Northwestern University [Evanston]
Claudia Costa: UC - Universidade de Coimbra = University of Coimbra [Portugal]
René Karadakic: Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration - Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration
Lucy Kraftman: IFS - The Institute for Fiscal Studies - The Institute for Fiscal Studies
Sonya Krutikova: IFS - The Institute for Fiscal Studies - The Institute for Fiscal Studies
Peter Redler: LMU - Ludwig Maximilian University [Munich] = Ludwig Maximilians Universität München
Carlos Riumallo-Herl: Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics, Erasmus University Rotterdam - Erasmus university
Paula Santana: UC - Universidade de Coimbra = University of Coimbra [Portugal]
Joachim Winter: LMU - Ludwig Maximilian University [Munich] = Ludwig Maximilians Universität München
Bram Wouterse: Erasmus University Rotterdam
Amelie Wuppermann: MLU - Martin-Luther-Universität Halle Wittenberg - Martin-Luther-University Halle Wittenberg

Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) from HAL

Abstract: Although there is a large gap between Black and White American life expectancies, the gap fell 48.9% between 1990 and 2018, mainly due to mortality declines among Black Americans. We examine age-specific mortality trends and racial gaps in life expectancy in high- and low-income US areas and with reference to six European countries. Inequalities in life expectancy are starker in the United States than in Europe. In 1990, White Americans and Europeans in high-income areas had similar overall life expectancy, while life expectancy for White Americans in low-income areas was lower. However, since then, even high-income White Americans have lost ground relative to Europeans. Meanwhile, the gap in life expectancy between Black Americans and Europeans decreased by 8.3%. Black American life expectancy increased more than White American life expectancy in all US areas, but improvements in lower-income areas had the greatest impact on the racial life expectancy gap. The causes that contributed the most to Black Americans' mortality reductions included cancer, homicide, HIV, and causes originating in the fetal or infant period. Life expectancy for both Black and White Americans plateaued or slightly declined after 2012, but this stalling was most evident among Black Americans even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. If improvements had continued at the 1990 to 2012 rate, the racial gap in life expectancy would have closed by 2036. European life expectancy also stalled after 2014. Still, the comparison with Europe suggests that mortality rates of both Black and White Americans could fall much further across all ages and in both high-income and low-income areas.

Date: 2021
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Related works:
Journal Article: Inequality in mortality between Black and White Americans by age, place, and cause and in comparison to Europe, 1990 to 2018 (2021)
Working Paper: Inequality in Mortality between Black and White Americans by Age, Place, and Cause, and in Comparison to Europe, 1990-2018 (2021)
Working Paper: Inequality in mortality between Black and White Americans by age, place, and cause and in comparison to Europe, 1990 to 2018 (2021)
Working Paper: Inequality in mortality between Black and White Americans by age, place, and cause and in comparison to Europe, 1990 to 2018 (2021)
Working Paper: Inequality in mortality between Black and White Americans by age, place, and cause and in comparison to Europe, 1990 to 2018 (2021)
Working Paper: Inequality in Mortality between Black and White Americans by Age, Place, and Cause, and in Comparison to Europe, 1990-2018 (2021)
Working Paper: Inequality in Mortality between Black and White Americans by Age, Place, and Cause, and in Comparison to Europe, 1990-2018 (2021)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:cesptp:halshs-03513374

DOI: 10.3386/w29203

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