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The Federal Effort to Desegregate Southern Hospitals and the Black-White Infant Mortality Gap

Author

Listed:
  • Anderson, D. Mark

    (Montana State University)

  • Charles, Kerwin Kofi

    (Yale University)

  • Rees, Daniel I.

    (Universidad Carlos III de Madrid)

Abstract

In 1966, Southern hospitals were barred from participating in Medicare unless they discontinued their long-standing practice of racial segregation. Using data from five Deep South states and exploiting county-level variation in Medicare certification dates, we find that gaining access to an ostensibly integrated hospital had no effect on the Black-White infant mortality gap, although it may have discouraged small numbers of Black mothers from giving birth at home attended by a midwife. These results are consistent with descriptions of the federal hospital desegregation campaign as producing only cosmetic changes and illustrate the limits of anti-discrimination policies imposed upon reluctant actors.

Suggested Citation

  • Anderson, D. Mark & Charles, Kerwin Kofi & Rees, Daniel I., 2020. "The Federal Effort to Desegregate Southern Hospitals and the Black-White Infant Mortality Gap," IZA Discussion Papers 13920, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
  • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp13920
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Anderson, D. Mark & Charles, Kerwin Kofi & Rees, Daniel I. & Wang, Tianyi, 2021. "Water purification efforts and the black‐white infant mortality gap, 1906–1938," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    hospital desegregation; black infant mortality; Medicare; civil rights;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • N32 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - U.S.; Canada: 1913-

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