2018 County Health Rankings: Gaps due to race, ethnicity

County Health Rankings point out health gaps affecting people of color

Place, race and ethnicity play a role in healthy lifestyles, according to the 2018 County Health Rankings. Meaningful health gaps persist due to differences in opportunities that affect people of color, such as access to quality education, jobs and safe affordable housing, according to the study.

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Join NACo's webinar on April 5 at 2 p.m. EDT to learn more about how you can use the rankings to improve your community’s health.

This year’s study shows that the nation is seeing 8.2 percent of babies born at low birthweight, a 2 percent increase from 2014 and a key indicator of quality of life for mothers and babies. Black babies are twice as likely to be born at low birthweight and twice as likely to die before they turn 1, according to the study.

“We can’t be a healthy, thriving nation if we continue to leave entire communities and populations behind,” said Richard Besser, MD, RWJF president and CEO. “Every community should use their County Health Rankings data, work together, and find solutions so that all babies, kids, and adults — regardless of their race or ethnicity — have the same opportunities to be healthy.”

“As an organization committed to improving health and well-being, we can’t tolerate the reality that some Americans don’t have the same opportunity to be healthy because of where they live, how much money they make, or the color of their skin,” said Besser. “As a nation, we will be healthier and stronger together when we remove barriers to opportunity for everyone in America.”

This year’s report shows blacks in more segregated counties fare worse in rates of child poverty, infant mortality, and high school graduation than those in less segregated counties.

According to the study, segregated communities of color are more likely to be cut off from investments that promote good schools, affordable housing and other opportunities for health. Some of the practices that have led to the disparities, according to the study, include discriminatory policies that have limited the opportunities of people of color in choosing where to live, including denying housing loans.

This year’s rankings also explore trends happening among the nation’s children and youth:

Teen Births: Teen birth rates have been declining across community types and racial groups for more than a decade, with most recent data showing a U.S. rate of 27 per 1,000 females, ages 15-19. Hispanic teens have seen the most improvement in birth rates, falling from 77.7 to 31.9 births per 1,000 females — ages 15-19, from 2006 to 2016. Black and American Indian/Alaskan Native teens have also seen notable improvements. Teen birth rates are highest among counties in the Southwest and Southeast as well as parts of Appalachia, the Mississippi Delta, and the Plains regions. These regions have seen little change over the last decade, while the East and West coasts have seen improvements.

Children in Poverty: Available data show that, for the majority of U.S. counties, child poverty rates for American Indian/Alaskan Native, Black or Hispanic children are higher than rates for White children, and these rates are often twice as high.

“The time is now to address long-standing challenges like child poverty and residential segregation,” said Julie Willems Van Dijk, PhD, RN, director of County Health Rankings & Roadmaps. “This year’s Rankings are a call to action to see how these persistent health gaps play out locally, take an honest look at their root causes, and work together to give everyone a fair shot at a healthier life.”

The rankings website also features “What Works for Health,” a database of nearly 400 evidence-informed strategies to support local change-makers as they take steps toward building healthy communities. Each strategy is rated for its evidence of effectiveness and likely impact on health disparities. The Rankings’ Take Action Center and Community Coaches also provide guidance for local leaders and community partners to move with data to action. Visit countyhealthrankings.org to learn more.

The County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (UWPHI), compares counties within each state on more than 30 health-influencing factors such as education, jobs and access to quality health care.