Deconstructing race and ethnicity: implications for measurement of health outcomes

Abstract

A crucial issue for health researchers is how to measure health and health-related behaviors across racial/ethnic groups. This commentary outlines an approach that involves the deconstruction of race/ethnicity, which clarifies the independent influences of acculturation, quality of education, socioeconomic class, and racial socialization on outcomes of interest. Research on the influence of these variables on health outcomes in general, and cognitive test performance specifically, is presented. This research indicates that when variables such as quality of education, wealth, and perceived racism are taken into account, the effect of race/ethnicity on health outcomes is greatly reduced. In other words, race/ethnicity serves as a proxy for these more meaningful variables, and explicit measurement of these constructs will improve research of health within majority and minority ethnic groups.