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This compelling book examines mortality risk among former Hispanic and African-American players in Major League Baseball (MLB) during the 40-year period following desegregation in the League. Analyzing a variety of biological, cultural, social, and environmental factors, the author illustrates the potential health effects of racial disparities on these elite athletes and fills a significant gap in the mortality literature.
Included in the coverage:
- The history and evolution of professional baseball in both the United States and Latin America
- Literature and statistical reviews of racial and ethnic inequalities in mortality in the US general population
- Overview and evaluation of methodologies used to statistically analyze mortality risk in this professional-athlete population
- Implications and applications of research findings related to Hispanic and African-American MLB-player mortality
A unique perspective on a pressing public health issue,
Mortality Among Hispanic and African-American Players After Desegregation in Major League Baseball is a salient read for public health professionals including epidemiologists, medical professionals, and social scientists, as well as athletes, historians, and those with broad interest in African American and Latino health.
List of contents
Preface.- List of Tables and Figures.- Part I - The Backstory.- The Roots of Baseball in the US.- A Mini-history of Latin America and Professional Baseball.- Literature and Statistical Review of Race/Hispanic Origin and Mortality.- Part II - Empirical Study Description and Preliminary Results.- Study Methods.- Births and Deaths in the Study Cohort.- Preliminary Testing of Main Study Hypotheses.- Part III - Other Independent Variables and More Definitive Testing of Study Hypotheses.- The Role of Educational Attainment.- Examination of Other Independent Variables.- Final Multivariate Testing of Study Hypotheses.- Part IV - External Analysis and Discussion.- Comparison of Mortality Rates Between Major League Baseball Players and the General Population .- Summary, Conclusions, and Implications.
About the author
Jeffrey S. Markowitz, DrPH, is an epidemiologist who has authored three books, Pigskin Crossroads: The Epidemiology of Concussions in the National Football League (NFL), 2010-2012 (2013), Lost Seasons: Arrests, Suspensions, Career Chaos, and Mortality Among National Football League (NFL) Players (2016), and Mortality and Its Risk Factors Among Professional Athletes: A Comparison Between Former NBA and NFL Players (Springer, 2018). From 1983 to 1992, Dr. Markowitz was an adjunct assistant professor of Public Health at the School of Public Health at Columbia University in New York, NY, USA.
