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Mortality and Race and Ethnicity in the United States

SOA Research Institute Societal Purpose

May 2024

Author

Nicola Barrett, FSA, MAAA
Consulting Actuary
Milliman Inc.

Overview

Mortality rates have decreased significantly over the 20th century, but patterns of mortality disparities by race and ethnicity persist in the United States. People are usually categorized by one racial group and one ethnic group, usually of their own choice — that is common on applications, health forms and the like. In biological terms, human physical variations can and do tend to overlap with little scientific variation among races. Proponents of race as a social construct theorize there is as much or more genetic variation within major population groups as between them. The purpose of this research is to aid actuaries in their work in identifying, measuring, modeling and analyzing possible mortality differentials when considering full U.S. population analysis.

Materials

Mortality and Race and Ethnicity in the United States

Mortality and Race and Ethnicity in the United States Appendices

Acknowledgments

The author’s deepest gratitude goes to those without whose efforts this project could not have come to fruition: the volunteers who generously shared their wisdom, insights, advice, guidance and arm’s-length review of this study prior to publication. Any opinions expressed may not reflect their opinions nor those of their employers. Any errors belong to the author alone.

Project Oversight Group members:
Jennifer Haid, FSA
Edward Hui, FSA
Tom Kukla, FSA, MAAA
Jose Leason, ASA
Madeleine Zhang, FSA
Yifan Zhang, FSA, MAAA
Anji Li Zhao, FSA, CERA, MAAA

At the Society of Actuaries Research Institute:
Lisa Schilling, FSA, EA, FCA, MAAA, Sr. Research Actuary
Jan Schuh, Sr. Research Administrator
Ronora Stryker, ASA, MAAA, Sr. Practice Research Actuary

At Milliman Inc.:
Primary Researchers:
Randy Beams, FSA, MAAA, Actuary
Gordon Dzotrah, ASA, Associate Actuary
Stephanie Scholz, ASA, Associate Actuary
Others:
Robert Eaton, FSA, MAAA, Principal and Consulting Actuary
Ricardo Trachtman, FSA, MAAA, Principal and Consulting Actuary

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