Persistence of Poverty across Generations: A Comparison of Anglos, Blacks, and Latinos

Authors

Anna M. Santiago, Indiana University
Yolanda C. Padilla, University of Texas at Austin

Abstract

Utilizing data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, this study examines the impact of children's growing up in poverty on the probability of their remaining in poverty during young adulthood. The primary goals of the research are to examine racial, ethnic, and gender differences in patterns of persistent poverty and to identify predictors of poverty status in young adulthood. The results suggest that both women, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or adolescent poverty status, and black men who grew up in poverty are more likely to be poor as young adults than Anglo men. Logistic regression analyses reveal that in addition to education and work experience, metropolitan unemployment rates were also significant predictors of poverty status for both men and women. Further, while growing up in a poor family for extended periods of time was found to be associated with the increasing probability of being poor for minority men and Anglo women, other family background variables were insignificant predictors of adult poverty status in all models.

Recommended Citation

Santiago, Anna M. and Padilla, Yolanda C. (1995) "Persistence of Poverty across Generations: A Comparison of Anglos, Blacks, and Latinos," New England Journal of Public Policy: Vol. 11: Iss. 1, Article 9.
Available at: https://scholarworks.umb.edu/nejpp/vol11/iss1/9