Health Disparities in the United States: Social Class, Race, Ethnicity, and Health / Edition 2

by Donald A. Barr

Overview

About the Author:
Donald A. Barr, M.D., Ph.D. Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, Stanford University, Stanford, California

Product Details

ISBN-13:	2901421414750
Publisher:	Johns Hopkins University Press
Publication date:	10/30/2014
Edition description:	second edition
Pages:	328
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Donald A. Barr, MD, PhD (PALO ALTO, CA), is professor emeritus at Stanford University in the Department of Pediatrics. He lives in Palo Alto, California. He is the author of Health Disparities in the United States: Social Class, Race, Ethnicity, and the Social Determinants of Health; Introduction to Biosocial Medicine: The Social, Psychological, and Biological Determinants of Human Behavior and Well-Being; and Crossing the American Health Care Chasm: Finding the Path to Bipartisan Collaboration in National Health Care Policy.

Table of Contents

Preface     ix
Introduction to the Social Roots of Health Disparities     1
What Is "Health"? How Should We Define It? How Should We Measure It?     14
The Relationship between Socioeconomic Status and Health, or, "They Call It 'Poor Health' for a Reason"     42
Understanding How Low Social Status Leads to Poor Health     73
Race, Ethnicity, and Health     105
Race/Ethnicity, Socioeconomic Status, and Health: Which Is More Important in Affecting Health Status?     134
All Things Being Equal, Does Race/Ethnicity Affect How Physicians Treat Patients?     169
Why Does Race/Ethnicity Affect the Way Physicians Treat Patients?     200
When, If Ever, Is It Appropriate to Use a Patient's Race/Ethnicity to Guide Medical Decisions?     228
What Should We Do to Reduce Health Disparities?     247
References     273
Index     291

What People are Saying About This

Diane R. Brown

Clearly articulates the problem of health disparities and how socioeconomic status and race and ethnicity are interwoven. Barr has brought together a vast amount of material in a conceptually meaningful way that hopefully will be digested by those in training to be medical professionals.

— Diane R. Brown, Ph.D., Institute for the Elimination of Health Disparities, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey

Editorial Reviews

This book will be of interest to everyone with an interest in diversity issues and the effects of inequality on child development, and all those who value and treasure the NHS.
—Margaret Arthur, Nursing Standard

This very fundamental book about health disparities in the United States gives an up to date and comprehensive summary of the current knowledge about this important health topic. It offers potential policy—and physician—based solutions for reducing social inequalities in health in the long run.
—Uwe Helmert, Socialnet

Clearly written, with an extensive list of references, this book will be useful for all audiences and an important text for professionals in the health field, especially those in medical education. Highly recommended.
—Choice

Health Disparities in the United States will serve well as a foundational text for courses on the subject and for individuals looking for a well-organized, highly researched text.
—JAMA

Barr's book will go a long way toward convincing American policymakers and the public that health disparities are neither acceptable nor inevitable.
—Social Service Review

From the Publisher

"Barr's book will go a long way toward convincing American policymakers and the public that health disparities are neither acceptable nor inevitable."

Social Service Review

"Health Disparities in the United States will serve well as a foundational text for courses on the subject and for individuals looking for a well-organized, highly researched text."

JAMA

"Clearly written, with an extensive list of references, this book will be useful for all audiences and an important text for professionals in the health field, especially those in medical education. Highly recommended."

Choice

"This very fundamental book about health disparities in the United States gives an up to date and comprehensive summary of the current knowledge about this important health topic. It offers potential policy—and physician—based solutions for reducing social inequalities in health in the long run."

Socialnet - Uwe Helmert

"This book will be of interest to everyone with an interest in diversity issues and the effects of inequality on child development, and all those who value and treasure the NHS."

Nursing Standard - Margaret Arthur

A masterful, timely, up-to-date, and reader-friendly overview of health disparities in the United States.

Social Work in Health Care - Toba Schwaber Kerson DSWPhD

Barr has written a captivating and well-researched book.

Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare - Krista Drescher-Burke

Barr's book will go a long way toward convincing American policy makers and the public that health disparities are neither acceptable nor inevitable.

Social Service Review - Christopher Masi

Dr. Barr's book is an excellent read on how race and ethnicity affect health care and contribute to health disparities.

Family Medicine - Jose A. Lopez

We will not be able to eliminate disparities in health status that stem from inequality, but we can reduce them.

Future Survey

Barr has written a captivating and well-researched book.

— Krista Drescher-Burke

Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare

Dr. Barr's book is an excellent read on how race and ethnicity affect health care and contribute to health disparities.

— Jose A. Lopez, MD, MPH

Family Medicine