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CDC: Blacks living longer, but still lag behind whites
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Although the death rate for blacks declined 25% from 1999 to 2015, there are still disparities between blacks and whites, according to a recent CDC Vital Signs report. In addition, blacks are living longer, but their life expectancy is still 4 years less than that of whites.
“[Blacks] are the third largest racial/ethnic population in the United States, after whites and Hispanics. The [black] population is projected to increase from about 42 million in 2014 to about 60 million in 2060,” Timothy Cunningham, ScD, and CDC epidemiologist, told Healio Family Medicine. “There is a need to increase public awareness regarding the leading causes of death and health disparities. Our goal ultimately was to inform action, and sustain the significant progress that has been made.”
Researchers analyzed data from CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, the National Vital Statistics System and the U.S. Census Bureau.
They found that in 1999, age-specific death rates for any cause of death were 1,135.7 per 100,000 blacks and 854.6 for whites. In 2015, these rates were 851.9 per 100,000 blacks and 735 per 100,000 whites.
The CDC also found that, compared with whites, in 2015:
•Blacks aged 18 to 49 years had lower death rates from unintentional injuries;
•Blacks aged 49 years and younger had lower death rates from suicide;
•Blacks aged 50 to 64 years had lower death rates from chronic liver disease and cirrhosis;
•Blacks aged 65 years and older had lower death rates from Alzheimer’s disease;
•Death rates from heart disease, cancer, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes and homicides began increasing at earlier ages among blacks than whites;
•Blacks aged 18 to 64 years were seven to nine times more likely to die from HIV;
•Blacks aged 18 to 34 years had higher death rates from heart disease, cancer, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes, homicide, HIV and conditions results from pregnancy, childbirth and puerperium;
•Blacks ages 35 to 49 years had higher death rates from heart disease, cancer, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes, homicide, nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, nephrosis, septicemia and HIV; and
•Blacks aged 50 to 64 years had higher death rates from heart disease, cancer, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, nephrosis, unintentional injury, septicemia, and HIV.
Researchers attributed the disparities, in part, to blacks having significantly lower educational attainment and homeownership than whites, and blacks having nearly twice the proportion of households below the poverty level across the life span.
“We have seen some remarkable improvements in death rates for the black population in these past 17 years. Important gaps are narrowing due to improvements in the health of the black population overall. However, we still have a long way to go,” Leandris Liburd, PhD, MPH, MA, associate director, CDC’s Office of Minority Health and Health Equity, said in a press release.
Cunningham offered suggestions that medical professionals can take for reducing the gap in death rates between blacks and whites even further.
“Health care providers can work with communities and health care professional organizations to eliminate cultural barriers to care. One approach that health care providers can take to reduce cultural barriers is promoting a trusting relationship by encouraging patients to ask questions. Another approach health care providers can take is to learn about social and economic conditions that may put some patients at higher risk than others for having chronic conditions. – by Janel Miller
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.