Historically, sociological research on racial disparities in health has directly contributed to action and debate in the policy arena. For example, informed by Robert Bullard's groundbreaking research on environmental racism (Bullard 2000; Bullard & Johnson 2000), President Clinton signed an executive order which required federal agencies to ensure that their policies and programs did not disproportionally affect minorities or the poor (Clinton 1994). More recently, an influential report co-authored by sociologist Thomas LaVeist (LaVeist, Gaskin, and Richard.2009) is helping to transform the policy debate about racial disparities in health by emphasizing that these differences in health have substantial economic costs for society. This report estimated that the medical care and lost productivity costs for racial disparities in health amount to a $309 billion annual loss to the economy. These economic costs are a compelling additional policy justification for eliminating health inequities. Sociologist David Williams also recently served as the staff director for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America – a national bi-partisan initiative focused on improving American's health and reducing socioeconomic and racial disparities in
