Latinos, blacks more likely to suffer health disparities due to
wealth inequality August 24, 2012 A recent study found that
health disparities among Latino, black and white children -– but
when adjusted for socioeconomic factors, differences had more to
do with class than race. Researchers interviewed more than 5,000
fifth graders in Los Angeles, Houston and Birmingham, Ala. They
measured 16 health behaviors and outcomes including use of
tobacco and alcohol, exercise habits, helmet use and obesity.
Black children (20 percent) were more likely than Latino
children (11 percent) and whites (5 percent) to have witnessed a
gun threat or injury. Latinos were 15 percent and blacks 12
percent more likely than whites to be obese. Latinos and blacks
got less exercise and had poorer physical and psychological
health. However, when adjusted for income and education of
children’s families, differences significantly shrunk. Most of
the disparities between Latinos and whites disappeared and the
rest were reduced after adjus