Racial, ethnic, and gender differences in the association between higher state minimum wages and health and mental well-being in US adults with low educational attainment

James H Buszkiewicz; Anjum Hajat; Heather D Hill; Jennifer J Otten; Adam Drewnowski

doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.115817

Racial, ethnic, and gender differences in the association between higher state minimum wages and health and mental well-being in US adults with low educational attainment

Soc Sci Med. 2023 Apr:322:115817. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.115817. Epub 2023 Mar 5.

Authors

James H Buszkiewicz¹, Anjum Hajat², Heather D Hill³, Jennifer J Otten⁴, Adam Drewnowski⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. Electronic address: buszkiew@umich.edu.
² Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
³ Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy and Governance, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
⁴ Center for Public Health Nutrition, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Nutritional Sciences Program, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
⁵ Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Center for Public Health Nutrition, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Nutritional Sciences Program, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.

PMID: 36905725
DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.115817

Abstract

Background: To date, research evaluating the association between minimum wage and health has been heterogenous and varies based on the specific subpopulation or health outcomes under evaluation while associations across racial, ethnic, and gender identities have been understudied.

Methods: A triple difference-in-differences strategy using modified Poisson regression was used to evaluate the associations between minimum wage and obesity, hypertension, fair or poor general health, and moderate psychological distress in 25-64-year-old adults with a high school education/GED or less. Data from the 1999-2017 Panel Study of Income Dynamics was linked to state policies and characteristics to estimate the risk ratio (RR) associated with a $1 increase in current and 2-year lagged state minimum wages overall and by race, ethnicity, and gender (non-Hispanic or non-Latino (NH) White men, NH White women, Black, indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC) men, and BIPOC women) adjusting for individual and state-level confounding.

Results: No associations between minimum wage and health were observed overall. Among NH White men 2-year lagged minimum wage was associated with reduced risk of obesity (RR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.67, 0.99). Among NH White women, current minimum wage was associated lower risk of moderate psychological distress (RR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.54, 1.00) while 2-year lagged minimum wage was associated with higher obesity risk (RR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.12, 1.64) and lower risk of moderate psychological distress (RR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.56, 1.00). Among BIPOC women, current minimum wage was associated with higher risk of fair or poor health (RR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.02, 1.40). No associations were observed among BIPOC men.

Conclusion: While no associations were observed overall, heterogeneous associations between minimum wage, obesity, and psychological distress by racial, ethnic, and gender strata warrant further study and have implications for health equity research.

Keywords: Health inequities; Hypertension; Mental health; Minimum wage; Obesity.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Adult
Educational Status
Female
Humans
Income*
Male
Middle Aged
Obesity* / epidemiology
Salaries and Fringe Benefits
Sex Factors
United States / epidemiology

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding