Brad Boekeloo, MS, PhD School of Public Health

Income inequality has increased in the US since about 1967 Oishi, S., Kesebir, S., & Diener, E. (2011). Income inequality and happiness. Psychological science, 22(9),

US states with higher income inequality have higher mortality rates Kawachi, I., & Subramanian, S. V. (2014). Income inequality. Social epidemiology, 126.

Mortality rates for outcomes that vary by social status (e.g. Income) tend to be especially influenced by state income inequality Pickett, Kate E., and Richard G. Wilkinson. "Income inequality and health: a causal review." Social Science & Medicine 128 (2015):

Countries with higher income inequality have worse health and social problems Pickett, Kate E., and Richard G. Wilkinson. "Income inequality and health: a causal review." Social Science & Medicine 128 (2015):

As income inequality in the US has increased, happiness has decreased Oishi, S., Kesebir, S., & Diener, E. (2011). Income inequality and happiness. Psychological science, 22(9),

Only the happiness of the top US income group is not effected by inequality Oishi, S., Kesebir, S., & Diener, E. (2011). Income inequality and happiness. Psychological science, 22(9),

Inequality decreases general trust and perceived fairness which decreases happiness Oishi, S., Kesebir, S., & Diener, E. (2011). Income inequality and happiness. Psychological science, 22(9),

Other theorized mechanisms The relative size of a lower status population: Living under material disadvantage and greater exposure to health hazards, Feeling less valued leading to less self-care, Perceiving social disadvantage, feeling anxious, and suffering from stress-related endocrine disease outcomes, Suffering from disadvantage at key stages of growth and development, and Suffering from social policies that produce the income inequalities to begin with such as unequal power, structural disadvantage, and stigma