The Effect of Education on Health: Analyzing the Income Gap between Park Slope and Bedford- Stuyvesant
Sheba Antony, Marybeth Babu and Evan Biegel
Spring 2016 Introduction
Park Slope and Bedford-Stuyvesant are two seemingly neighboring towns in Brooklyn that currently differ in a multitude of ways:
1. Income Park Slope Bed-Stuy 2. Population 3. Health 4. Education
What is responsible for these differences? New York City Teacher Strike of 1968
Ocean Hill-Brownsville school district, 1968:
- 95% of students were black or Latino - 67% of teachers were white
September, 1968 November, 1968 May, 1968 - previously dismissed teachers are - NYS Board of - white teachers reinstated with Regents declares deemed ineffective “partner” teachers district under state to teach students - chaos in classrooms control - white teachers are - Union president Al - strike terminates, dismissed Shanker advocates a leaving the city in an strike even more racially separated position Hypothesis 1. The 1968 Teacher Strike engendered more separation between races in NYC, in turn altering the education system. 2. Accompanying a change in the education system was a change in educational attainment and therefore income. 3. As the income gap between Park Slope and Bedford-Stuyvesant broadened, the quality of health in each area began to diverge.
In sum, the education and health of an area are two major factors that influence the future state of the area. Education School Enrollment - Overall, Bed-Stuy has more enrollment than Park Slope until the 2000s. - In the past few years, enrollment in Park Slope has increased while enrollment in Bed- Stuy has decreased. - Conclusion: There has been an overall decline in enrollment; however, Park Slope seems to be slowly recovering. Why? Population - Until the late 1990s, Bed-Stuy had a greater population than Park Slope. - In the past few years, both populations have been increasing. - Conclusion: Since 1970, both populations have declined, yet more people have lately been moving to Park Slope rather than Bed-Stuy. Why? Schools in Park Slope and Bed-Stuy
Diversity Scores:
- Park Slope = 0.69
- Bed-Stuy = 0.29
- NY Public School Average = 0.36 Quality of Education - We can not only measure the quality of education, but also the value of education by analyzing test scores. - There exists a major discrepancy in Standardized Test Performance. Why? Educational Attainment - Since 1990, more residents in Park Slope have earned at least a Bachelor’s Degree than in Bed- Stuy. - In the past few years, the difference in the number of people holding at least a Bachelor’s Degree in Park Slope and Bed-Stuy has been declining. - Conclusion: Adults with a higher educational attainment care for a higher quality of education for their children. What are the implications of higher educational attainment on income? Family Income
- Although educational attainment in Bed-Stuy increased from 2000 to 2011, income decreased. - One possible cause is the recession in the late 2000s.
- Income has remained relatively constant in Bed- Stuy compared to the major increase in Park Slope. Summary: Education and Income
Park Slope Bedford-Stuyvesant
Factor Since 1970 Past few years Since 1970 Past few years
School Enrollment
Population
Educational Attainment
Family Income
- Factors that declined in both areas occurred in a greater capacity in Bed-Stuy. - Factors that increased in both areas occurred in a greater capacity in Park Slope. - What does this mean in terms of health? Health
Health data in following charts are from 2015 Community Profiles from nyc.gov Health Care Health Care Bedford-Stuyvesant Park Slope (and Accessibility Carroll Gardens)
No health 20% 16% insurance
Went without 12% 10% needed medical care
Late or no 8% 1.6% prenatal care
● Health care accessibility does not have that strong of a disparity between Bedford- Stuyvesant and Park Slope in terms of not having insurance or not needing medical care ● However, lack of or late prenatal care is five times more in Bedford-Stuyvesant than in Park Slope. Self-Reported Health
● More adults in Park Slope self-reported good health than in those in Bedford- Stuyvesant
● This data correlates with the data about healthy and unhealthy habits collected
Park Slope → more healthy habits Bedford-Stuyvesant→ more unhealthy habits Disease
● Bedford-Stuyvesant has ○ higher rates of smoking, obesity, and diabetes ○ six times more new HIV diagnoses than Park Slope Preventative Medicine
● Percentage of vaccinations are similar in Bedford-Stuyvesant and in Park Slope
● There is more HIV screening in Bedford- Stuyvesant, which correlates to the increased numbers of new HIV diagnoses in that area compared to Park slope Hospitalizations
● Increased numbers of hospitalization in Bedford-Stuyvesant compare to Park Slope reflects poorer health and poorer maintenance of health in Bedford Stuyvesant.
● Psychiatric hospitalizations are especially higher in Bedford-Stuyvesant, perhaps reflecting the effects of stressors in the area, such as income. Death Leading Causes of Death
Life expectancy Bedford-Stuyvesant: 75.1 Park Slope: 80.3 Summary: Health
Park Slope Bedford-Stuyvesant
Self-Reported Health
Hospitalization
Health Care
Prevention and Screening
Disease
Premature Deaths
Conditions are generally better in Park Slope, which reflects how the inequalities in health and income leaves a lasting impact on the health of communities. Correlation: Education and Health Distinct communities, regardless of proximity, Life Expectancy Discrepancy due to difference in Socioeconomic Status have different values that have many implications...
Higher Educational Attainment Lower Educational Attainment
Better Higher Lesser Lower quality of income quality income schools schools
Healthier Less healthy conditions conditions
time
This may seem obvious, though what may not be obvious is that these inequalities are interconnected... Causation is difficult to prove
Income Inequality
Education Health Inequality Inequality Bibliography
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