Classification of Race and Ethnicity: Implications for Public Health

Posted in Articles, Census/Demographics, Health/Medicine/Genetics, Media Archive, United States on 2011-01-10 01:21Z by Steven

Classification of Race and Ethnicity: Implications for Public Health

Annual Review of Public Health
Volume 24 (May 2003)
pages 83-110
DOI: 10.1146/annurev.publhealth.24.100901.140927

Vickie M. Mays, Professor of Psychology and Professor of Health Services
University of California, Los Angeles

Ninez A. Ponce, Associate Professor of Public Heath
University of California, Los Angeles

Donna L. Washington, M.D.
Department of Medicine, Veterans Affairs
Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System

Susan D. Cochran, Professor of Epidemiology
University of California, Los Angeles

Emerging methods in the measurement of race and ethnicity have important implications for the field of public health. Traditionally, information on race and/or ethnicity has been integral to our understanding of the health issues affecting the U.S. population. We review some of the complexities created by new classification approaches made possible by the inclusion of multiple-race assessment in the U.S. Census and large health surveys. We discuss the importance of these classification decisions in understanding racial/ethnic health and health care access disparities. The trend toward increasing racial and ethnic diversity in the United States will put further pressure on the public health industry to develop consistent and useful approaches to racial/ethnic classifications.

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