Highlighting health consequences of racial disparities sparks support for action

Racial disparities arise across many vital areas of American life,
including employment, health, and interpersonal treatment. For example, 1
in 3 Black children live in poverty (vs. 1 in 9 White children) and on
average, Black Americans live 4 fewer years than White Americans. Which
disparity is more likely to spark reduction efforts? We find that
highlighting disparities in health-related (vs. economic) outcomes spurs
greater social media engagement and support for disparity-mitigating
policy. Further, reading about racial health disparities elicits greater
support for action (e.g., protesting) than economic or belonging-based
disparities. This occurs, in part, because people view health disparities
as violating morally-sacred values which enhances perceived injustice.
This work elucidates which manifestations of racial inequality are most
likely to prompt Americans to action.