“For Richer, For Poorer, in Sickness and Health”: Gendered Earnings Compositions and Their Effect on the Health of African American Couples
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This study examines how gendered earnings compositions affect the physical health of married African American couples, using data from the National Health Interview Survey (2014-2018). The research employs logistic regression models to evaluate health disparities within this population, drawing on theories of Hegemonic Masculinity and Hegemonic Femininity. Findings reveal complex relationships between earnings composition and health outcomes. Women in equal-earning marriages showed lower odds of poor physical health, while those with husbands as sole earners had higher odds of fair to poor health. For men, gendered earnings compositions were not significantly associated with physical health in fully adjusted models, suggesting a possible "Hybrid Masculinity" adaptation. Couples with egalitarian earning compositions consistently demonstrated better health outcomes across all models. The results highlight the need for culturally specific frameworks that account for the unique experiences of African American families.
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Parsons, Shahill. "For Richer, For Poorer, in Sickness and Health": Gendered Earnings Compositions and Their Effect on the Health of African American Couples. (2024). Masters thesis, Rice University. https://hdl.handle.net/1911/117839