Is racism a public health crisis? Black men in KC have the shortest life expectancy
A black man living in Kansas City’s urban core can expect his life to end nearly 20 years earlier than a white woman who lives roughly 10 minutes away.
This stark disparity in life expectancy is the impetus for a resolution that would declare racism a public health crisis and address public health disparities resulting from racial inequities. City Councilwoman Melissa Robinson worked with the Kansas City Health Department to craft the measure.
The goal is twofold: Spark a conversation about the impact of racism on public health. And task the city manager with establishing a comprehensive plan to address inequities that leave black men and other people of color vulnerable to early death.
The City Council is set to consider the resolution Thursday and should move quickly to approve it so that the process to address these disparities can begin.
As president of the Black Health Care Coalition, Robinson has worked to raise awareness in the minority community about how lifestyle choices impact the development of diabetes, cancer, hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
“I’ve worked in the public health space for 11 years, and those that work in that space, we know that race is a huge factor as it relates to (early death among minorities),” Robinson said. “The data is clear.”
Data compiled by the Kansas City Health Department from 2013-2017 tell the story: Skin color and zip code matter.
The life span of a black man residing in one of Kansas City’s poorest neighborhoods is shortened by several social, economic and environmental factors.
For example, the life expectancy for a black man living in the 64128 zip code on the city’s East Side is 68. A white woman living near the Country Club Plaza can expect to live to be 85 years old, a 17-year difference between people who live just a short drive from each other.
Overall, from 2013-2017, there was a 15-year difference between the lowest life expectancy zip codes in Kansas City to the highest.
The average city resident has a life expectancy of 77, slightly below the U.S. average of almost 79. The average black woman in Kansas City lives to be 76. Black men in Kansas City have a life expectancy of 68, the lowest for any race or gender.
White women have a life expectancy of 81, and for white men, it’s 76. On average, Hispanic men live to be about 79, and Hispanic women have the longest life expectancy, at 83 years.
The 10 leading causes of death accounted for 78% of all deaths in Kansas City. Cancer and heart disease topped the list for whites, blacks and Hispanics. Chronic lower respiratory diseases and accidents rounded out the top five.
Here, in a city that’s one of the most violent in the nation on a per capita basis, homicide ranked 10th on the list but was the third leading cause of death among African Americans.
Nearly 70% of the city’s 100 homicide victims this year have been black males.
Injuries and violence are significant public health problems, and city leaders should, as the resolution calls for, take steps to minimize those risks by focusing on preventive public health strategies.
Robinson says the health impact of racism in Kansas City has reached crisis mode, as outlined by researcher Sandro Galea, dean and Robert A. Knox professor at Boston University School of Public Health.
Galea said three key factors constitute a crisis: The problem must affect large numbers of people, it must threaten health over the long term, and it must require the adoption of large-scale solutions.
Based on the health department’s assessment, Kansas City has some important work to do to eradicate this health crisis.
Public health disparities caused by racial inequities have shortened the lives of too many black men living in the city. Kansas City leaders can’t let the lives of our residents continue to be cut short.