INEQUALITIES AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN HEALTH

Contents

Preface

Introduction

Purpose of the book

Overview of the chapters

Part One. Theorizing social inequalities in health

1. Race, racism, and health outcomes

Race: historical foundation

Social construction of race

Growing complexity of defining race

African-American class disadvantage

Racialized social system and health

Conclusion

2. Sickness in slavery and freedom

Health of black Africans in early America

Medical care in early America

Race and racism in medicine

Emancipation: a crisis of sickness and death

The rise of the dual health care system

African-American health care workers

Challenging segregated medicine

Conclusion

Part Two. Health and medicine

3. Health behaviors in social context

An overview of African-American health

Health behaviors and lifestyles

Health behaviors in social context

Religion and health

Neighborhoods and health

Neighborhood influences on health

Homeownership: the American Dream

Conclusion

4. Medical care and health policy

Interpreting symptoms of illness

Seeking medical care

Health insurance

Medical distrust

Provider–patient interactions

Organization of medicine

Conclusion

Part Three. Health and families

Historical context of families in transition

5. Economic decline and incarceration

The “crack epidemic”

“Crack babies:” the new narrative on deficient black mothers

The long arm of the drug epidemic

Incarceration and health

Life after prison

Conclusion

6. Love, sexuality, and (non)marriage

Love in a gender perspective

Black sexuality

Decline of marriage

Marriage and health

Conclusion

7. Children’s health

Promoting health and health behaviors

Sexuality and sex education

Beyond sex education

Childrearing: a race-class perspective

Family structure and children’s health

Intergenerational kin support

Neighborhoods, schools, and health

Conclusion

Conclusion

References

Index