Racial Residential Segregation: A Fundamental Cause of Racial Disparities in Health
Chiquita Collins
October 2001
Abstract
Black-White differences in health are large, persistent, and in some cases, worsening over
time. Racial segregation is a central determinant of Black-White differences in health. The
physical separation of the races in residential areas is an institutional mechanism of racism
that remains a primary determinant of racial differences in economic circumstances. These
differences in social and economic conditions are largely responsible for racial differences
in health status. Reparations are a potentially effective strategy to rebuild the infrastructure
of disadvantaged, segregated communities. Such investment would enhance the economic
circumstances of African American families and communities and also improve their health.
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