In this engaging and accessibly written book, Population Health in America weaves demographic data with social theory and research to help students understand health patterns and trends in the U.S. population. While life expectancy was estimated to be just 37 years in the United States in 1870, today it is more than twice as long, at over 78 years. Yet today, life expectancy in the U.S. lags behind almost all other wealthy countries. Within the U.S., there are substantial social inequalities in health and mortality: women live longer but less healthier lives than men; African Americans and Native Americans live far shorter lives than Asian Americans and White Americans; and socioeconomic inequalities in health have been widening over the past 20 years. What accounts for these population health patterns and trends?
Inviting students to delve into population health trends and disparities, demographers Robert Hummer and Erin Hamilton provide an easily understandable historical and contemporary portrait of U.S. population health. Perfect for courses such as population health, medical or health sociology, social epidemiology, health disparities, demography, and others, as well as for academic researchers and lay persons interested in better understanding the overall health of the country, Population Health in America also challenges students, academics, and the public to understand current health policy priorities and to ask whether considerably different directions are needed.
Robert A. Hummer is the Howard Odum Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Fellow of the Carolina Population Center at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Erin R. Hamilton is Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Davis.
"A much-needed and comprehensive overview of the field of population health, with careful attention to the unequal distribution of health in the U.S. Their writing and evidence is clear and compelling as they address big questions about 'who gets what and why.' While the authors confront the reader with troubling patterns, they also point to a broad array of strategies to promote population health and reduce disparities. Essential reading for anyone interested in the current condition—and the future—of the nation’s health."—Debra J. Umberson, Centennial Commission Professor of Liberal Arts, Department of Sociology, and Director of the Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin
"Hummer and Hamilton deliver an incisive and comprehensive portrait of American health and its downward slide on the international stage. A powerful takeaway is that an individual’s health in America is closely tied to their social status and zip code—a tragedy that could be addressed by political action, not personalized medicine. Essential reading for anyone interested in U.S. population health, from students taking their first course in the subject to seasoned demographers as well as policymakers."—Jennifer Karas Montez, Professor of Sociology, Gerald B. Cramer Faculty Scholar in Aging Studies, and Andrew Carnegie Fellow, Syracuse University
"Fills a critically important need in its comprehensive and creative compilation of what we know about population health in the U.S. In it, researchers, students, and policymakers alike have a compact and compelling foundation to consult as they seek to further understand and respond to the health challenges that confront our nation. The writing is exceptionally clear and the marshaling of evidence impressive as Hummer and Hamilton reveal, in example after example, why a population health perspective is so important for addressing the health of our nation."—Bruce Link, Distinguished Professor of Public Policy and Sociology, University of California-Riverside
"You could not find two better people to write a text like this. Hummer and Hamilton do an excellent job bringing together a great deal of scientific literature. A terrific book."—Rachel Kimbro, Professor of Sociology at Rice University and Founding Director, Urban Health Program at the Kinder Institute
"An excellent resource for courses that focus on population health, covering a great deal of sophisticated material in a highly accessible way.”—Michal Engelman, Associate Professor of Sociology, Center for Demography and Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
280 pp.6 x 9Illus: 24 line illustrations, 1 b/w p
9780520291560$95.00|£80.00Hardcover
Jul 2019