By Catherine Frey, Andrea Lasker, Kristin Bray, David Kindig Racial differences in health status measures exist in the U.S. and Wisconsin. In the context of this brief, racial inequalities are differences in health outcomes, such as mortality, that occur by race or ethnicity. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the average white person now lives seven years longer than the average black person. Death rates from conditions such as cancer, stroke, and heart disease are all higher in blacks. In the case of strokes, blacks are dying at twice the rates that whites are.
Black mothers receive less prenatal care and are almost twice as likely to be uninsured.
Similar disparities exist in Native American and among some Asian immigrant populations. Of course, race is a complex indicator. It is not always evident what is being measured by this variable. However, after adjusting for income or education, racial disparities are often observed so continued attention to such associations is warranted. Eliminating racial inequalities in health is a priority for both the nation and the state of Wisconsin.