Cancer InCytes seeks to highlight the deep intersections amongst social injustice, healthcare injustice, and economic burden on civil governance. This study provides evidence of exactly that…
“Health disparities have a devastating impact on individuals and families, and they also affect society as a whole,” said Roland J. Thorpe, Jr., PhD.”
The direct medical expenditures for African-American men over the four-year period totaled $447.6 billion; and 5.4 percent, or $24.2 billion, were excess costs attributed to health disparities. There were no excess direct costs due to health disparities for the other racial/ethnic groups over the four year period.
Over the four-year period, these factors cost the economy a total of $436.3 billion—lower worker productivity due to illness contributed $28 billion in excess costs, and premature death contributed $408.3 billion.
Reference:
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Medicine: Health Disparities Among U.S. African-American and Hispanic Men Cost Economy More Than $450 Billion Over Four Years. January 22, 2014. Accessed January 22, 2014.
http://www.jhsph.edu/news/news-releases/2014/health-disparities-among-us-african-american-and-hispanic-men-cost%20economy-more-than-450-billion-over-four-years