Minority Health Gap Documented In Report

Jet, May 31, 1999

Minorities lag behind Whites in the U.S. on nearly every health measure from life expectancy and disease rates to health insurance and access to care, according to a report documenting the widespread disparities.

The report, released by the Commonwealth Fund, found that at birth a White boy born in 1996 has a life expectancy of 74 years; a Black boy's is 66. For a White girl, it's nearly 80; for a Black girl, it's just over 74.

Infant mortality is more than twice as high among Blacks than Whites.

More than twice as many Black babies, it was learned, are born underweight than White babies.