Project Summary

The objective of this project is to produce a focused review and critical summary of the relevant literature and empirical datasets examining the contributions of both race and ethnicity to physical and mental health of individuals and groups classified as "Black" in the U.S. There is a vast amount of existing research that sheds light on an array of social, psychological, and environmental factors influencing racial and ethnic disparities in a range of health related outcomes, including life expectancy, morbidities, mortality rates, as well as how these patterns vary across the life course. Generally, these literatures focus on Black-white differences. More recently, there is a growing recognition of the significant and meaningful diversity within the U.S. Black population based on factors related to nativity, immigration status, and skin tone. Using a range of strategies, the main focus of this project is to investigate the existing evidence regarding how and when disaggregating the category of Black race leads to varying patterns of results.