Racial Equity in New Deal Employment and Long-Term Mortality in US Counties
Author Information
Author(s): Rehkopf David, Guevara Ivan Mejia, Modrek Sepideh
Primary Institution: Stanford University
Hypothesis
Counties that favored Black workers in Public Emergency Work programs in 1940 will show lower mortality rates for both Black and White individuals from 2000 to 2019.
Conclusion
Counties that strongly favored Black workers in Public Emergency Work programs had lower mortality rates for both Black and White individuals over the years studied.
Supporting Evidence
- Counties that favored Black workers had lower mortality rates for both Black and White individuals.
- The study links historical employment policies to modern health outcomes.
Takeaway
If a county helped Black workers more during the New Deal, people there lived longer, no matter their race.
Methodology
The study examined county-level data on Public Emergency Work relief and mortality rates over several decades.
Participant Demographics
Counties in the US with varying levels of support for Black and White workers during the New Deal.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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