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Race and Older Age Mortality: Evidence from Union Army Veterans

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  • Dora L. Costa

Abstract

This paper uses the records of the Union Army to compare the older age mortality experience of the first black and white cohorts who reached middle and late ages in the twentieth century. Blacks faced a greater risk of death from all causes, especially in large cities, from infectious and parasitic diseases, from genito-urinary disease, and from heart disease, particularly valvular heart disease. Blacks' greater risk of death was the result both of the worse conditions in which they lived at the time of their deaths and of their lifelong poorer nutritional status and higher incidence of infectious disease. Compared to the 1821-40 black cohort, the 1841-50 black cohort was both under greater stress at a young age and had higher older age mortality rates.

Suggested Citation

  • Dora L. Costa, 2004. "Race and Older Age Mortality: Evidence from Union Army Veterans," NBER Working Papers 10902, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:10902
    Note: AG EH DAE
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Michael R. Haines, 2002. "Ethnic Differences in Demographic Behavior in the United States: Has There Been Convergence?," NBER Working Papers 9042, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    3. repec:ucp:bknber:9780226301129 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Rose, Jerome C., 1989. "Biological Consequences of Segregation and Economic Deprivation: A Post-Slavery Population from Southwest Arkansas," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 49(2), pages 351-360, June.
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    7. Dora Costa, 2000. "Understanding the twentieth-century decline in chronic conditions among older men," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 37(1), pages 53-72, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Logan, Trevon D., 2009. "Health, human capital, and African-American migration before 1910," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 169-185, April.
    2. Thompson, Kristina & Quanjer, Björn & Murkens, Mayra, 2020. "Grow fast, die young? The causes and consequences of adult height and prolonged growth in nineteenth century Maastricht," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 266(C).

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • N31 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - U.S.; Canada: Pre-1913

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