IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/socmed/v337y2023ics0277953623006196.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Mechanism substitution in preventive innovations: Dissecting the reproduction of health inequalities in the United States

Author

Listed:
  • Zapata-Moya, Angel R.
  • Freese, Jeremy
  • Bracke, Piet

Abstract

In the last three decades, numerous studies in different countries have corroborated the main postulates of the Fundamental Cause Theory (FCT), providing evidence showing how health inequalities are reproduced as society increases its capacity to control disease and/or avoid its consequences through preventive innovations. However, documenting the reproductive logic proposed by the theory requires the development of a dynamic analytical approach to consider socioeconomic disparities in the incorporation of multiple preventive innovations over time, which could act as mediating mechanisms of the durable relationship between socioeconomic status and health/mortality. This study draws on data from different waves of the National Health Interview Survey and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to analyze the diffusion processes of various innovations in the U.S. The results of the study show that educational inequalities emerge, are amplified, and are reduced by the continuous diffusion of preventive innovations, supporting the meta-hypothesis of substitution of mediating mechanisms according to the interconnections of FCT and Diffusion of Innovation Theory.

Suggested Citation

  • Zapata-Moya, Angel R. & Freese, Jeremy & Bracke, Piet, 2023. "Mechanism substitution in preventive innovations: Dissecting the reproduction of health inequalities in the United States," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 337(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:337:y:2023:i:c:s0277953623006196
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116262
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953623006196
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116262?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Polonijo, Andrea N. & Carpiano, Richard M., 2013. "Social inequalities in adolescent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination: A test of fundamental cause theory," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 115-125.
    2. Willems, Barbara & Bracke, Piet, 2018. "Participants, Physicians or Programmes: Participants’ educational level and initiative in cancer screening," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(4), pages 422-430.
    3. Sherry Glied & Adriana Lleras-Muney, 2008. "Technological innovation and inequality in health," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 45(3), pages 741-761, August.
    4. Rubin, M.S. & Colen, C.G. & Link, B.G., 2010. "Examination of inequalities in HIV/AIDS mortality in the United States from a fundamental cause perspective," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 100(6), pages 1053-1059.
    5. Link, B.G. & Phelan, J.C., 2002. "Mckeown and the idea that social conditions are fundamental causes of disease," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 92(5), pages 730-732.
    6. Rydland, Håvard T. & Solheim, Erling F. & Eikemo, Terje A., 2020. "Educational inequalities in high- vs. low-preventable health conditions: Exploring the fundamental cause theory," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 267(C).
    7. Mackenbach, Johan P. & Kulhánová, Ivana & Bopp, Matthias & Deboosere, Patrick & Eikemo, Terje A. & Hoffmann, Rasmus & Kulik, Margarete C. & Leinsalu, Mall & Martikainen, Pekka & Menvielle, Gwenn & Reg, 2015. "Variations in the relation between education and cause-specific mortality in 19 European populations: A test of the “fundamental causes” theory of social inequalities in health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 51-62.
    8. Håvard Thorsen Rydland & Joseph Friedman & Silvia Stringhini & Bruce G. Link & Terje Andreas Eikemo, 2022. "The radically unequal distribution of Covid-19 vaccinations: a predictable yet avoidable symptom of the fundamental causes of inequality," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-6, December.
    9. Ozgur Dedehayir & Roland J. Ortt & Carla Riverola & Francesc Miralles, 2017. "Innovators And Early Adopters In The Diffusion Of Innovations: A Literature Review," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 21(08), pages 1-27, December.
    10. Rumberger, Russell W., 2010. "Education and the reproduction of economic inequality in the United States: An empirical investigation," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 246-254, April.
    11. Saldana-Ruiz, N. & Clouston, S.A.P. & Rubin, M.S. & Colen, C.G. & Link, B.G., 2013. "Fundamental causes of colorectal cancer mortality in the United States: Understanding the importance of socioeconomic status in creating inequality in mortality," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 103(1), pages 99-104.
    12. Delaruelle, Katrijn & Buffel, Veerle & Bracke, Piet, 2015. "Educational expansion and the education gradient in health: A hierarchical age-period-cohort analysis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 79-88.
    13. Sean A. P. Clouston & Marcie S. Rubin & Jo C. Phelan & Bruce G. Link, 2016. "A Social History of Disease: Contextualizing the Rise and Fall of Social Inequalities in Cause-Specific Mortality," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 53(5), pages 1631-1656, October.
    14. Barbara Willems & Piet Bracke, 2018. "The education gradient in cancer screening participation: a consistent phenomenon across Europe?," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 63(1), pages 93-103, January.
    15. Morteza Maleki & Mohsen Bahrami & Monica Menendez & Jose Balsa-Barreiro, 2022. "Social Behavior and COVID-19: Analysis of the Social Factors behind Compliance with Interventions across the United States," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-26, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Rydland, Håvard T., 2020. "Monitoring the social gradient: Inequalities in use of blood pressure monitors in the HUNT study," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    2. Clouston, Sean A.P. & Rubin, Marcie S. & Chae, David H. & Freese, Jeremy & Nemesure, Barbara & Link, Bruce G., 2017. "Fundamental causes of accelerated declines in colorectal cancer mortality: Modeling multiple ways that disadvantage influences mortality risk," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 187(C), pages 1-10.
    3. Ángel R. Zapata-Moya & María J. Martín-Díaz & Francisco J. Viciana-Fernández, 2021. "Area-Based Policies and Potential Health Benefits: A Quasi-Experimental Cohort Study in Vulnerable Urban Areas of Andalusia (Spain)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-17, July.
    4. Sean A. P. Clouston & Marcie S. Rubin & Jo C. Phelan & Bruce G. Link, 2016. "A Social History of Disease: Contextualizing the Rise and Fall of Social Inequalities in Cause-Specific Mortality," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 53(5), pages 1631-1656, October.
    5. Fenton, Anny T. & Elliott, Marc N. & Schwebel, David C. & Berkowitz, Zahava & Liddon, Nicole C. & Tortolero, Susan R. & Cuccaro, Paula M. & Davies, Suzy L. & Schuster, Mark A., 2018. "Unequal interactions: Examining the role of patient-centered care in reducing inequitable diffusion of a medical innovation, the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 200(C), pages 238-248.
    6. Elaine M. Hernandez & Mike Vuolo & Laura C. Frizzell & Brian C. Kelly, 2019. "Moving Upstream: The Effect of Tobacco Clean Air Restrictions on Educational Inequalities in Smoking Among Young Adults," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 56(5), pages 1693-1721, October.
    7. Luque de Haro, Víctor A. & Pujadas-Mora, Joana M. & García-Gómez, José J., 2021. "Inequality in mortality in pre-industrial southern Europe during an epidemic episode: socio-economic determinants (eighteenth - nineteenth centuries Spain)," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 40(C).
    8. Håvard Thorsen Rydland & Joseph Friedman & Silvia Stringhini & Bruce G. Link & Terje Andreas Eikemo, 2022. "The radically unequal distribution of Covid-19 vaccinations: a predictable yet avoidable symptom of the fundamental causes of inequality," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-6, December.
    9. Hamad, Rita & Elser, Holly & Tran, Duy C. & Rehkopf, David H. & Goodman, Steven N., 2018. "How and why studies disagree about the effects of education on health: A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies of compulsory schooling laws," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 168-178.
    10. Petter Lundborg & Carl Hampus Lyttkens & Paul Nystedt, 2016. "The Effect of Schooling on Mortality: New Evidence From 50,000 Swedish Twins," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 53(4), pages 1135-1168, August.
    11. Rydland, Håvard T. & Solheim, Erling F. & Eikemo, Terje A., 2020. "Educational inequalities in high- vs. low-preventable health conditions: Exploring the fundamental cause theory," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 267(C).
    12. Yoonyoung Choi & Hui Zheng, 2023. "Onset and Cessation of Smoking: Temporal Dynamics and Racial Difference in Educational Smoking Disparities among Women," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 42(6), pages 1-26, December.
    13. Hjorthen, Sofie L. & Sund, Erik R. & Skalická, Věra & Eikemo, Terje Andreas & Getz, Linn Okkenhaug & Krokstad, Steinar, 2022. "Trends in absolute and relative educational inequalities in health during times of labour market restructuring in coastal areas: The HUNT Study, Norway," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 292(C).
    14. Grytten, Jostein & Skau, Irene & Sørensen, Rune, 2020. "Who dies early? Education, mortality and causes of death in Norway," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 245(C).
    15. Barton Hamilton & Andrés Hincapié & Emma C. Kalish & Nicholas W. Papageorge, 2021. "Medical Innovation and Health Disparities," NBER Working Papers 28864, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    16. Daniel Weiss & Håvard T Rydland & Emil Øversveen & Magnus Rom Jensen & Solvor Solhaug & Steinar Krokstad, 2018. "Innovative technologies and social inequalities in health: A scoping review of the literature," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(4), pages 1-20, April.
    17. Rubin, Marcie S. & Clouston, Sean & Link, Bruce G., 2014. "A fundamental cause approach to the study of disparities in lung cancer and pancreatic cancer mortality in the United States," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 54-61.
    18. Clouston, Sean A.P. & Natale, Ginny & Link, Bruce G., 2021. "Socioeconomic inequalities in the spread of coronavirus-19 in the United States: A examination of the emergence of social inequalities," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    19. Jeon, Sung-Hee & Pohl, R. Vincent, 2019. "Medical innovation, education, and labor market outcomes of cancer patients," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    20. Aline Bütikofer & René Karadakic & Kjell G. Salvanes, 2021. "Income Inequality and Mortality: A Norwegian Perspective," Fiscal Studies, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 42(1), pages 193-221, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:337:y:2023:i:c:s0277953623006196. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/315/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.