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Div. of Media Relations
1600 Clifton Road
MS D-14
Atlanta, GA 30333
(404) 639-3286
Fax (404) 639-7394 |
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Fact Sheet
April 2, 2004 |
Contact: CDC Division of
Media Relations
(404) 639-3286 |
Racial/Ethnic Health Disparities
For too many racial and ethnic minorities in the United States, good
health is elusive and access to health promotion and prevention programs and
appropriate healthcare are often relative to economic status, race or
ethnicity, gender, education, disability, geographic location or sexual
orientation.
African Americans |
Cancer - In 2001, the age-adjusted
death rate for cancer was 25.4 percent higher for African-Americans
(243.1 per 100,000 population) than for white Americans (193.9). |
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Diabetes - In 2001, the diabetes
age-adjusted death rate for African-Americans was more than twice that
for white Americans (49.2 vs. 23.0 per 100,000 population). |
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Adult Immunization - In 2002,
influenza vaccination coverage among adults 65 years of age and older
was 70.2 percent for whites and 52.0 percent for African-Americans. The
gap for pneumococcal vaccination coverage among older adults was even
wider at 60.6 percent for whites and 36.1 percent for African-Americans. |
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Infant Mortality - In 2001, the
infant mortality rate among African-Americans was 13.3 per 1,000 live
births -- more than twice the rate for white Americans (5.7 per 1,000
live births). |
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American Indians/Alaska Natives |
Chronic diseases - Heart disease and
cancer are the leading causes of death among American Indians and Alaska
Natives. The prevalence of diabetes is more than twice that for all
adults in the United States, and the mortality rate from chronic liver
disease is more than twice as high, according to 2002 data. |
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Infant mortality - The infant
mortality rate among American Indians and Alaska Native are 1.7 times
higher than non-Hispanic whites. the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
rate among this minority is the highest of any population group, more
than double that of whites in 1999. |
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Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) -
In 2001, the syphilis rate among AI/AN was 6 times higher than the
syphilis rate among the non-Hispanic white population, the Chlamydia
rate was 5.5 times higher, the gonorrhea rate was 4 times higher and the
AIDS rate was 1.5 times higher. |
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Injuries - Unintentional injuries
are the third leading cause of AI/AN death and the leading cause for age
1-44 years. AI/AN death rates for unintentional injuries and motor
vehicle crashes are 1.7 to 2.0 times higher than the rates for all
racial/ethnic populations, while suicide rates for AI/AN youth are 3
times greater than rates for whites of similar age. |
|
Asian Americans |
Access to Healthcare - According to
the 2000 U.S. census, Asian Americans represent 4.2 percent of the U.S.
population or 11.9 million individuals. Overall, about 21 percent of
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders lack health insurance, compared to
about 16 percent of the general population. |
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Cancer - During 1988-1992, the
highest age-adjusted incidence rate of cervical cancer occurred among
Vietnamese American women (43 per 100,000), almost five times higher
than the rate among non-Hispanic white women (7.5 per 100,000). During
1988-1992, the highest incidence rate of liver and intrahepatic bile
duct cancer was seen in Vietnamese American men (41.8 per 100,000), more
than 10 times higher than the rate among non-Hispanic white men (3.3 per
100,000). |
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Tuberculosis (TB) - Asian Americans
and Pacific Islanders had the highest tuberculosis (TB) case rates (33
per 100,000) of any racial and ethnic population in 2001 (14 per 100,000
for non-Hispanic blacks, 12 per 100,000 for Hispanics/Latinos, 11 per
100,000 for American Indians/Alaska Natives, and 2 per 100,000 for
non-Hispanic whites). |
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Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) - While the
rate of acute hepatitis B (HBV) among Asian Americans and Pacific
Islanders has been decreasing, the reported rate in 2001 was more than
twice as high among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (2.95 per
100,000) as among white Americans (1.31 per 100,000). |
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Hispanic/Latino Americans |
HIV/AIDS - According to the 2000 U.S. census,
Hispanics/Latinos of all ethnic groups represent 13.3 percent of the
U.S. population or 38.8 million individuals. In 1999 the age-adjusted
death rate for HIV was 32.7 per 100,000 for Puerto Ricans living on the
mainland U.S., higher than any other racial or ethnic group, more than
six times the national average (5.4 per 100,000) and more than 13 times
the rate for non-Hispanic whites (2.4 per 100,000). |
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Diabetes - Among Hispanics/Latinos, the diabetes
death rate in 2000 was highest among Puerto Ricans (172 per 100,000),
followed by the rates for Mexican Americans (122 per 100,000), and Cuban
Americans (47 per 100,000). |
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Adult Immunization - In 2002, influenza
vaccination coverage among adults 65 years of age and older was 70.2
percent for whites and 46.7 percent for Hispanics/Latinos. The gap for
pneumococcal vaccination coverage among older adults was even wider,
with 60.6 percent for whites and 23.8 percent for Hispanics/Latinos. |
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Asthma - During 1993-1995 in the northeast U.S.,
Hispanics/Latinos had an asthma death rate of 34 per million, more than
twice the rate for white Americans (15.1 per million). |
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Work-Related Injuries - Mexican foreign born
workers accounted for more than two thirds (69 percent) of the 2,440
fatally injured, foreign born workers between 1995 and 2000. Lower
percentages of fatally injured workers came from Cuba (146 or 6
percent), El Salvador (131 or 5 percent), Guatemala (90 or 4 percent),
and Dominican Republic (87 or 4 percent). |
|
Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific
Islanders |
Access to Healthcare - According to
the 2000 U.S. census, Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islanders
represent 0.3 percent of the U.S. population or 874,000 individuals.
Overall, about 21 percent of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders lack
health insurance, compared to about 16 percent of the general
population. |
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Tuberculosis (TB) - Asian Americans
and Pacific Islanders had the highest tuberculosis (TB) case rates (33
per 100,000) of any racial and ethnic population in 2001 (14 per 100,000
for non-Hispanic blacks, 12 per 100,000 for Hispanics/Latinos, 11 per
100,000 for American Indians/Alaska Natives, and 2 per 100,000 for
non-Hispanic whites). |
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Diabetes - During 1996-2000, Native
Hawaiians were 2.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than
non-Hispanic white residents of Hawaii of similar age. |
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Infant mortality - In 2000, infant
mortality among Native Hawaiians was 9.1 per 1,000, almost 60 percent
higher than among whites (5.7 per 1,000). |
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Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) - While the
rate of acute hepatitis B (HBV) among Asian Americans and Pacific
Islanders has been decreasing, the reported rate in 2001 was more than
twice as high among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (3.0 per
100,000) as among white Americans (1.3 per 100,000). |
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Asthma - Native Hawaiians in Hawaii
had an asthma rate of 139.5 per 1,000 in 2000, almost twice the rate for
all other races in Hawaii (71.5 per 1,000). |
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Smoking - In 2000, 30.9 percent of
Native Hawaiians in Hawaii reported smoking cigarettes, compared with
19.7 percent of Hawaii residents overall. |
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What the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Office of Minority
Health Does:
- Leads policy initiatives
- Coordinates agency action on minority health initiatives
- Supports minority-serving institutions of higher learning
- Establishes and enhances internal and external partnerships
- Supports training opportunities for minority students
- Undertakes studies of health issues affecting key populations
- Advocates action on activities to eliminate health disparities
For more information, non media should call 1-800-311-3435, or try the
links below:
Spotlight on Minority Health
http://www.cdc.gov/omh/Populations/populations.htm
HHS Office of Minority Health
http://www.omhrc.gov/omh/whatsnew/2pgwhatsnew/special128a.htm
National Immunization Program
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/specint/readii/
National Center for Health Statistics
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs
# # #
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
protects people's health and safety by preventing and controlling diseases
and injuries; enhances health decisions by providing credible information on
critical health issues; and promotes healthy living through strong
partnerships with local, national, and international organizations.
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