Keywords: Race, Ethnicity, Health, Socioeconomic Position, Vietnam Veterans
In many, if not most, analyses of population health, race/ethnicity is significantly associated with outcome. In an analysis of Black and White Vietnam War Veterans when they were aged 50 to 64, race was not significantly associated with Self-Report of Health. Additionally, a major difference came to light in terms of what socioeconomic indicator was significant in terms of the odds of reporting good health dependent on race. While the study itself is important, the backstory provides knowledge that adds insight into these results and may assist in interpreting future studies. Placing individuals within their life’s context is crucial to many analyses but especially those concerned with race/ethnicity, socio-economic position (SEP), and health, arguably with effects on and between the other. Human lives cannot be reduced to single characteristics as the inequities and commonalities of gender, race, class, age, etc. are inseparable and intertwined and influenced by the social processes and structures of both time and place.