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Structural Racism and Discrimination Index        

Racism, and not race solely as a biological attribute, has a structural basis and is embedded in long-standing laws, socioeconomic policies, cultural norms, and institutions leading to discrimination in our society. This characterization of racism is defined as structural racism and discrimination (SRD). The impact of SRD is deeply rooted in our society; affecting where one lives, learns, works, worships, and plays and creating inequities in access to a range of social and economic benefits such as housing, education, income, and employment.

A standardized methodology for quantifying SRD and its impact remains challenging. To address this gap, we developed a multidimensional SRD Index, the first national, place-based, and community-informed measure designed to systematically evaluate the effects of structural racism and discrimination across states and counties and over time.

SRD Index Scores
 
The index assigns a national and a state score to each county by combining indicators of racial discrimination against Black communities across five key dimensions: residential segregation, housing, income, healthcare, and the criminal justice system.

The national score is a percentile rank of each county in the U.S. from 0 to 100. A county with a higher score means Black people in this county experience higher impact of structural racism and discrimination compared to other counties. Use the national score to compare trends to other counties in the U.S.

The state score is a decile rank of each county of a state from 0 to 10. A county with a higher score means Black people in this county experience higher impact of structural racism and discrimination compared to other counties in that state. Use the state score to compare trends to other counties in a state.

How can you use the SRD index?

  • Use the interactive SRD tool to explore how structural racism and discrimination impact Black communities at the county, state, or national level.
  • Identify social systems (housing, healthcare, or criminal justice) where Black people have been most and least impacted by racist and discriminatory laws.
  • Identify disparities between Black and White communities within specific counties.
  • Generate and share maps, charts, and download data to facilitate discussions and collaboration among policymakers and community members.
  • Combine the SRD Index with other data to understand the effects of structural racism on health disparities, climate risks, or child development.

Who can use the SRD index?

● Community Groups                     ● Educators and Students

● Advocacy Organization              ● Researchers

● NGOs                                             ● Government Agencies

Rise Above Study, Funding, and Citation

The SRD Index was developed as part of the Rise Above Study . The Rise Above Study is a multi-university collaborative project that (1) quantitatively measures SRD with an index, (2) evaluates its longitudinal role in cancer control behaviors, and (3) examines the moderating role of psychosocial resources in African American adults in the U.S. Study findings will have important implications for policy and community interventions to eliminate persistent cancer disparities that disproportionately impact African Americans.

The Rise Above Study and the SRD Index are funded by a 5-year R01 award from the National Institutes of Health (Grant #R01MD018437).

Suggested citation for the SRD Index: Debarchana Ghosh, Sabina Bhandari, and Cheryl Knott. A Measure for Place-Based Structural Racism and Discrimination Over Time: Version 1.0 SRD Index. 2025.