Stratification from Cradle to Grave
April 2, 2008
http://www.iastate.edu/~soc.134
© 2008 David Schweingruber
Stratification
• Stratification: ranking
system for groups of
people that perpetuates
unequal rewards and
life chances in society
(p. 327)
• Through stratification,
society categorizes
people and distributes
valued resources based
upon these categories
©©2008
2000David
DavidSchweingruber
Schweingruber
Healthy or unhealthy birth by race, 1990
80%
70%
60%
White
Black
Indian
Hispanic
78% 61%
58% 60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
6%
13% 6% 6%
10%
0%
Prenatal care before 3rd
trimester
Source: Statistical Abstracts of the United States
Low birth weight
©©2008
2000David
DavidSchweingruber
Schweingruber
Percentage of babies, born
1990-93, ever breastfed
Breastfed by income, 1990-1993
70%
68.2%
60%
58.1%
50%
40%
42.6%
30%
20%
10%
0%
0-149%
150-299%
300% or higher
Poverty level income
Source: Statistical Abstracts of the United States
©©2008
2000David
DavidSchweingruber
Schweingruber
Graduation rates
Education by race, 2003
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
85%
85%
80%
All
White
Black
Asian
Hispanic
87%
57%
50%
27% 28% 17%
11%
High school
Source: 2004-05 Statistical Abstracts of the U.S., table 212.
College
©©2008
2000David
DavidSchweingruber
Schweingruber
Unemployment by race, 2001
9%
8.7%
Unemployment rate
8%
7%
6%
6.6%
5%
4%
3%
4.8%
4.2%
2%
1%
0%
All
White
Source: 2002 Statistical Abstracts of the United States, table 593
Black
Hispanic
©©2008
2000David
DavidSchweingruber
Schweingruber
Home ownership by race, 1997
Percent living in own home
70%
60%
69.2%
50%
52.3%
40%
45.5%
43.1%
30%
20%
10%
0%
White
Source: Statistical Abstracts of the United States
Black
Asian
Hispanic
©©2008
2000David
DavidSchweingruber
Schweingruber
82.3%
71.3%
65.4%
73.1% 77.0%
$50,000 and
over
$35,000$49,999
$20,00034,999
$10,000$19,999
58.5%
Less than
$10,000
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
All
Percent with some
participation in physical
activity
Exercise by income, 1992
Annual income
Source: Statistical Abstracts of the United States
©©2008
2000David
DavidSchweingruber
Schweingruber
Over
$100,000
$75,001100,000
$50,00175,000
$40,00150,000
$30,001$40,000
$20,001$30,000
$10,00120,000
$10,000 or
less
80%
66% 65%
70%
54%
60%
51%
50% 41%
42%
40%
26% 28%
30%
15%
20%
10%
0%
All
Percent attended sporting
event in past 12 months
Sports event attendance by income, 1997
Annual income
Source: 2002 Statistical Abstracts of the United States, table 1218
©©2008
2000David
DavidSchweingruber
Schweingruber
Healthcare expenditures by income, 2000
Per capita healthcare
expenditures
$3,500
$2,864
$3,000
$2,500
$2,000
$2,312
1,988 $1,964
$2,066
$1,470
$1,500
$1,000
$500
$0
Total Lowest Second Third Fourth Highest
20%
20%
20%
20%
20%
Income quintile
Source: 2002 Statistical Abstracts of the United States, table 123
©©2008
2000David
DavidSchweingruber
Schweingruber
Health insurance by race, 2000
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
12.9%
87.1%
White
18.5%
18.0%
81.5%
82.0%
Black
Asian/P.I.
Source: 2002 Statistical Abstracts of the United States, table 137.
32.0%
Uninsured
Insured
68.0%
Hispanic
©©2008
2000David
DavidSchweingruber
Schweingruber
Accidental death by race and gender, 1995
50
40
56.2
47.4
47.9
35.7 38.5
35.5
30
23.7
24.4
22.5
20
Source: Statistical Abstracts of the United States
Black
Females
Black
Males
White
Females
White
Males
Blacks
Whites
Females
0
Males
10
All
Accidental deaths per
100,000
60
©©2008
2000David
DavidSchweingruber
Schweingruber
80
62.6
70
60
50
40
30
39.9
33.0
31.2
29.1
29.1
24.7
23.5
20
Source: 2002 Statistical Abstracts of the United States, table 295
$75,000 or
more
$50,00074,999
$35,00049,000
$25,00034,999
$15,00024,999
$7,50014,999
0
Less than
$7,500
10
All
Violent crime victimization per
1,000
Violent crime victimization by income, 2000
©©2008
2000David
DavidSchweingruber
Schweingruber
Life expectancy by race & sex (at birth in 1987)
78.9
69.1
72.1
White Male
71.4
75.6
Black
74.9
Male
80
78.3
Total
73.4
64.7
70
60
50
40
30
20
Source: 2004-05 Statistical Abstracts of the United States, table 92
Black
Female
Black Male
White
Female
0
White
10
Female
Life expectancy at birth
90
©©2008
2000David
DavidSchweingruber
Schweingruber
83.6%
70.5%
52.2%
43.0%
24.1%
$100,000 and
more
$50,000$99,999
$25,000$49,999
$10,000$24,999
6.5%
Less than
$10,000
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
All
Percent with retirement
account
Retirement accounts by income, 1995
Family income
Source: Statistical Abstracts of the United States
©©2008
2000David
DavidSchweingruber
Schweingruber