Racial categories in the U.S. embody both historical and contemporary social inequality and any attempt to understand racial disparities in health needs to consider the extent to which race is associated with SES. National data for the U.S. reveal strikingly high levels of racial inequality in SES, and relatively little change over time. This is in contrast to the perception that racial inequalities have narrowed markedly over time and may even be nonexistent. Some limited evidence indicates that the election of President Barack Obama may represent a setback for addressing racial injustice in the U.S. because it has reduced (both among persons who voted and did not vote for him) the perception of the existence of racial injustice and inequality and reduced support for policies designed to address inequality.43
