“Disparities in Mortality Rates: Black Americans more affected than Whites in US”
A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has found that black people in the United States are dying “disproportionately” more than their white counterparts. The study, which looked at deaths between 1999 and 2020, concluded that black men died 997,623 more than white men, and black women died 628,464 more than white women.
The study cited heart disease as the most common cause of death and noted that deaths were most prevalent in infants and middle-aged individuals. The findings have renewed the debate over health equity in the US and call for a re-evaluation of the country’s current healthcare system.
The issue of health disparities has been a long-standing concern in the US, particularly for black Americans who have historically faced discrimination and systemic racism in healthcare. The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted these disparities, with black Americans bearing a disproportionate burden of infections, hospitalizations, and deaths.
As the US continues to grapple with health equity, studies like this serve as a reminder of the urgent need for meaningful action to address the disparities that persist in the country’s healthcare system.
