What are racial and ethnic health disparities, and do we have them in Delaware?
There are disparities in the burden of illness and death experienced by African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and American Indians as compared to the population as a whole. In Delaware, for example, a black male newborn has a life expectancy of 69.5 years, compared to a white male newborn at 74.6 years. A female newborn is expected to live 74.4 years compared to a white female at 79.5 years. The differences in life expectancy are directly related to differences in mortality for a wide range of diseases.
