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Health Inequality and Economic Disparities by Race, Ethnicity, and Gender

Author

Listed:
  • Nicolò Russo
  • Rory McGee
  • Mariacristina De Nardi
  • Margherita Borella
  • Ross Abram

Abstract

How large is health inequality in middle age, and how does it shape future economic disparities by race, ethnicity, and gender? Using the Health and Retirement Study, we document large health disparities at midlife. At age 55, Black men and women exhibit frailty levels, or biological age, comparable to those of White individuals 13 and 20 years older, respectively, while Hispanic men and women display frailty similar to that of White individuals 5 and 6 years older. Counterfactual equalization of health at age 55 reduces subsequent disparities in key economic and health outcomes by 40– 70%. These results highlight the central role of midlife health in generating later-life inequality and suggest that policies improving health before age 55, particularly for disadvantaged groups, may substantially narrow disparities at later ages.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicolò Russo & Rory McGee & Mariacristina De Nardi & Margherita Borella & Ross Abram, 2024. "Health Inequality and Economic Disparities by Race, Ethnicity, and Gender," NBER Working Papers 32971, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:32971
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    Cited by:

    1. Richard Blundell & Jack Britton & Monica Costa Dias & Eric French & Weijian Zou, 2022. "The Dynamic Effects of Health on the Employment of Older Workers: Impacts by Gender, Country, and Race," Working Papers wp451, University of Michigan, Michigan Retirement Research Center.
    2. Kurt J. Lavetti & Long Hong & Jonathan A. Holmes & Trevon D. Logan, 2025. "Workplace Stratification and Racial Health Disparities," NBER Working Papers 33514, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Hansen, Casper Worm & Strulik, Holger, 2025. "How do we age? A decomposition of Gompertz law," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D1 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior
    • D10 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - General
    • H4 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods
    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality

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