Document Type
Master's Culminating Experience
Publication Date
2017
Abstract
Hypersegregation, the overrepresentation of a racial group in a metropolitan area, is defined by evenness, exposure, concentration, centralization, and clustering. Hypersegregated communities are subjected to bias and have few resources and opportunities, which compounds the negative impact on one’s health and socioeconomic outcomes. This study aims to describe the effects of hypersegregation on health risks, chronic disease, violence, and compare the differences between hypersegregated and non-hypersegregated cities. Data were collected for Montgomery County, Ohio (MC) for low birth weight, infant mortality, diabetes, heart disease, and violent crime, and compared with data from Summit County (SC). There is a larger Black population and population below the poverty level in MC than SC. SC had increased bachelor’s degree attainment overall (6.5%) and for Whites (5%) but decreased attainment for Blacks (-1.1%) and increased low birth rate overall (0.1%) and for Blacks (1%) compared to MC. MC had increased infant mortality rates for Blacks (1.4%) and decreased for Whites (-1.2 per 1,000 births) and a larger age-adjusted diabetes mellitus and heart disease death rate per 100,000 for all races and genders in comparison to SC. SC had a larger burden of violent crime in comparison to MC. While increased burdens of health disparities exist for Black Americans in both counties, the hypersegregated county had a larger burden of health disparities for people of all races. Plans to improve health disparities may not target the specific needs of hypersegregated communities. Further research is needed to adequately address these specific health disparities.
Repository Citation
Johnson, C. (2017). Opportunity and Life-Long Health Outcomes: A Review of the Effects and Proposed Solutions of Hypersegregation on Health Disparities. Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
