Chronic Inflammation at the Intersection of Race, Gender, and Socioeconomic Status: Health Behaviors as Mechanisms

Aliza D. Richman, Pennsylvania State University
Tetyana Pudrovska, Pennsylvania State University

This paper explores obesity, smoking status, alcohol consumption, and physical activity as four potential mechanisms that underlie the joint and synergistic effects of race, gender, and socioeconomic status on inflammation. Our study is based on a sample of adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Using ordinary least squares regression, we find a strong interactive effect of gender, race, and socioeconomic status, such that poor black women have significantly higher levels of inflammation than other race x gender x socioeconomic groups. Our preliminary findings indicate that obesity and physical activity partially explain the higher level of inflammation among poor black women compared to other groups.