Inequality in Health Systems and Health Outcomes

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, researchers have become increasingly interested in how the distribution of income across society affects health outcomes. One theoretical perspective postulated that as income disparities increase, low-income individuals experience financial insecurity and shame.

Studies highlighted the association between income inequality and race/ethnicity, communities of color continue to have lower incomes and worse health outcomes. The neighborhood is as important as income inequality and race/ethnicity. Residents in poor communities experience higher negative effects of health-related outcomes—including self-related health, health behaviors, such as physical activity, alcohol-related issues, worse medical conditions, and higher mortality rates. A lack of investment in low-income areas (i.e., housing, education, and public transportation) exacerbate other inequities that lead to worse health outcomes. Studies showed that the risk of being depressed is higher in populations with higher income inequality.

The combination of the racial composition of race, place/neighborhoods, and income inequality creates an area with the unhealthiest population. People in these areas experience social conditions, such as high poverty, low educational attainment, or lack of racial/ethnic diversity in combination. Our primary search indicated gaps in the literature regarding determining the interaction of race, place, and income inequality and their influence on health outcomes. In the first Special Issue, we have focused on inequality in the health system for this specific issue we would like to focus on health outcomes. Some of the main areas to be covered in this Special Issue include:

• Poverty, income inequality, and health outcome (life expectancy, low birth weight, depression, obesity, hypertension, etc.);
• Housing inequalities and health outcomes;
• Education inequalities and health outcomes;
• Lobbying, rent-seeking, and health inequality;
• Structural racism and income inequality and its impact on health outcomes.

Dr. Hossein Zare
Guest Editor

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