Researchers are citing the continued barriers that are widening the life expectancy gap between Black and white people.
America’s entrenched racism is contributing to the growing life expectancy gap between Black and white Americans, research shows.
University of Wisconsin sociology professor Nicholas Mark points to data showing that the widening life expectancy gap is largely driven by social determinants of health, which are key factors in predicting life outcomes. Systemic barriers in living conditions, healthcare systems, and social structures are causing the white population to outlive their Black counterparts.
Barriers stemming from limited access to education and healthcare begin early in life, according to the UW professor.
“These differences can be attributed to differences in occupations and working conditions,” Mark tells Badger Health.
Black communities face greater educational barriers, with limited resources for students pursuing higher education and few scholarship opportunities to help turn their dreams into reality. This lack of education often leads individuals into dangerous jobs with exposure to toxic chemicals and poor working conditions, as they are unable to secure higher-paying positions that would provide both better salaries and valuable life skills.
Individuals with higher socioeconomic status often have better access to healthcare and nutritious food, which has been shown to improve life expectancy. Mark also highlights the chronic stress of living in a race-conscious society that stigmatizes and disadvantages the Black community.
These stressors lead to disproportionate physiological wear and tear on physical and mental health at rates that can accelerate overall decline at a younger age and faster rate among Black individuals. Due to a history of discriminatory policies, Black Americans are less likely to own homes and are more vulnerable to housing instability.
Hector Arolas, professor at the Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs, has studied the narrowing of mortality rates in the Black population leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic, partly due to rising violence rates. He cites how during the pandemic, deaths from gun violence surged within the Black community which widened the pre-existing life expectancy gap.
Arolas emphasized that meaningful change requires policies that specifically address disadvantaged groups and target the root causes of disproportionately high mortality rates. He noted that addressing these issues is crucial to lowering the life expectancy gap between Black and white populations.
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Source: Black Enterprise
