Diversity and Health

Health care can increase longevity and the quality of life; yet people’s access to that care—as well as the likelihood that they will become ill—is affected by social, cultural, economic, and geographic conditions. RAND Health research on the influence of such types of diversity on health focuses on differences in risk for particular conditions as well as differences in health care, including access, treatment, and outcomes. Our current studies on diversity and health are highlighted below.

Children’s Health in Washington, D.C.: Access and Health Challenges Despite High Insurance Coverage Rates

This brief summarizes the first comprehensive profile of health and health care issues among District children, finding that most children in the District experience difficulty accessing health care despite health insurance coverage and showing that the characteristics of the neighborhoods in which children live—including such socioeconomic conditions as poverty, income, education, and family structure—carry important implications for health.

Research Brief

South Los Angeles Ban on Fast-Food Chains Misses the Mark

This brief examines the evidence underlying the Los Angeles City Council’s moratorium on opening or expanding fast-food establishments in South Los Angeles—a large low-income area to the southwest and southeast of the city’s downtown where obesity takes a disproportionate toll on minority residents. The authors did not find an overconcentration of fast food outlets in South Los Angeles compared to other areas but did find an overconcentration of convenience and small grocery stores.

Research Brief

Assessing Parolees' Health Care Needs and Potential Access to Health Care Services in California

This brief shows that certain counties and communities within California are disproportionately affected by reentry and that access to health care and mental health and substance abuse safety nets varies across California counties and within county by race and ethnicity.

Research Brief