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Race and health in the United States

Updated: 5/20/2026, 7:37:43 PM Wikipedia source

Research shows many health disparities among different racial and ethnic groups in the United States. Different outcomes in mental and physical health exist between all U . Census-recognized racial groups, but these differences stem from different historical and current factors, including genetics, socioeconomic factors, and racism. Research has demonstrated that numerous health care professionals show implicit bias in the way that they treat patients. Certain diseases have a higher prevalence among specific racial groups, and life expectancy also varies across groups. Research has consistently shown significant health disparities among racial and ethnic groups in the U .; not rooted in genetics but in historical and from ongoing systematic inequities. Structural racism that has been embedded in employment, education, healthcare, and housing has led to unequal health outcomes, such as higher rates of chronic illnesses among Black, and Indigenous populations. An implied bias in healthcare also contributes to inequality in diagnosis, treatment, and overall care. Furthermore, the historical injustices including "medical exploration" during slavery and segregation have sown further mistrust and inequity that persists today. Efforts to reduce these differences include culturally competent care, diverse healthcare work-forces, and systematic policy corrections specifically targeted at addressing these disparities.

Tables

Life expectancy by race in each state in 2018 · Life expectancy
United States
United States
State
United States
All Races
78
White
78
Hispanic
82
Black
75
Asian
86
American Indian and Alaska Native
77
Alabama
Alabama
State
Alabama
All Races
75
White
76
Hispanic
79
Black
72
Asian
80
American Indian and Alaska Native
78
Alaska
Alaska
State
Alaska
All Races
78
White
80
Hispanic
80
Black
79
Asian
87
American Indian and Alaska Native
70
Arizona
Arizona
State
Arizona
All Races
79
White
80
Hispanic
81
Black
76
Asian
87
American Indian and Alaska Native
71
Arkansas
Arkansas
State
Arkansas
All Races
75
White
76
Hispanic
79
Black
72
Asian
80
American Indian and Alaska Native
78
California
California
State
California
All Races
81
White
80
Hispanic
83
Black
76
Asian
87
American Indian and Alaska Native
75
Colorado
Colorado
State
Colorado
All Races
80
White
80
Hispanic
81
Black
77
Asian
87
American Indian and Alaska Native
74
Connecticut
Connecticut
State
Connecticut
All Races
80
White
80
Hispanic
82
Black
78
Asian
87
American Indian and Alaska Native
83
Delaware
Delaware
State
Delaware
All Races
78
White
78
Hispanic
81
Black
75
Asian
85
American Indian and Alaska Native
83
District of Columbia
District of Columbia
State
District of Columbia
All Races
78
White
87
Hispanic
87
Black
72
Asian
89
American Indian and Alaska Native
98
Florida
Florida
State
Florida
All Races
80
White
79
Hispanic
82
Black
76
Asian
86
American Indian and Alaska Native
81
Georgia
Georgia
State
Georgia
All Races
77
White
78
Hispanic
81
Black
75
Asian
85
American Indian and Alaska Native
80
Hawaii
Hawaii
State
Hawaii
All Races
82
White
81
Hispanic
87
Black
80
Asian
83
American Indian and Alaska Native
81
Idaho
Idaho
State
Idaho
All Races
79
White
79
Hispanic
83
Black
81
Asian
84
American Indian and Alaska Native
74
Illinois
Illinois
State
Illinois
All Races
79
White
79
Hispanic
82
Black
73
Asian
85
American Indian and Alaska Native
83
Indiana
Indiana
State
Indiana
All Races
77
White
76
Hispanic
82
Black
73
Asian
85
American Indian and Alaska Native
81
Iowa
Iowa
State
Iowa
All Races
79
White
79
Hispanic
81
Black
74
Asian
86
American Indian and Alaska Native
80
Kansas
Kansas
State
Kansas
All Races
78
White
78
Hispanic
81
Black
73
Asian
84
American Indian and Alaska Native
79
Kentucky
Kentucky
State
Kentucky
All Races
75
White
75
Hispanic
79
Black
72
Asian
80
American Indian and Alaska Native
78
Louisiana
Louisiana
State
Louisiana
All Races
76
White
77
Hispanic
80
Black
73
Asian
81
American Indian and Alaska Native
80
Maine
Maine
State
Maine
All Races
78
White
78
Hispanic
82
Black
80
Asian
85
American Indian and Alaska Native
83
Maryland
Maryland
State
Maryland
All Races
79
White
80
Hispanic
81
Black
75
Asian
87
American Indian and Alaska Native
83
Massachusetts
Massachusetts
State
Massachusetts
All Races
80
White
80
Hispanic
82
Black
78
Asian
86
American Indian and Alaska Native
84
Michigan
Michigan
State
Michigan
All Races
78
White
78
Hispanic
80
Black
73
Asian
86
American Indian and Alaska Native
79
Minnesota
Minnesota
State
Minnesota
All Races
80
White
81
Hispanic
83
Black
79
Asian
86
American Indian and Alaska Native
69
Mississippi
Mississippi
State
Mississippi
All Races
74
White
76
Hispanic
79
Black
72
Asian
80
American Indian and Alaska Native
79
Missouri
Missouri
State
Missouri
All Races
77
White
77
Hispanic
81
Black
73
Asian
84
American Indian and Alaska Native
81
Montana
Montana
State
Montana
All Races
78
White
79
Hispanic
82
Black
81
Asian
86
American Indian and Alaska Native
69
Nebraska
Nebraska
State
Nebraska
All Races
79
White
79
Hispanic
82
Black
73
Asian
86
American Indian and Alaska Native
71
Nevada
Nevada
State
Nevada
All Races
78
White
76
Hispanic
80
Black
76
Asian
84
American Indian and Alaska Native
74
New Hampshire
New Hampshire
State
New Hampshire
All Races
79
White
79
Hispanic
83
Black
80
Asian
87
American Indian and Alaska Native
84
New Jersey
New Jersey
State
New Jersey
All Races
80
White
80
Hispanic
82
Black
74
Asian
87
American Indian and Alaska Native
84
New Mexico
New Mexico
State
New Mexico
All Races
78
White
78
Hispanic
78
Black
74
Asian
81
American Indian and Alaska Native
73
New York
New York
State
New York
All Races
81
White
81
Hispanic
82
Black
78
Asian
87
American Indian and Alaska Native
83
North Carolina
North Carolina
State
North Carolina
All Races
78
White
78
Hispanic
81
Black
75
Asian
84
American Indian and Alaska Native
76
North Dakota
North Dakota
State
North Dakota
All Races
79
White
80
Hispanic
85
Black
82
Asian
88
American Indian and Alaska Native
69
Ohio
Ohio
State
Ohio
All Races
76
White
77
Hispanic
81
Black
73
Asian
85
American Indian and Alaska Native
80
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
State
Oklahoma
All Races
76
White
76
Hispanic
80
Black
72
Asian
81
American Indian and Alaska Native
73
Oregon
Oregon
State
Oregon
All Races
79
White
79
Hispanic
84
Black
77
Asian
86
American Indian and Alaska Native
76
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
State
Pennsylvania
All Races
78
White
78
Hispanic
82
Black
73
Asian
86
American Indian and Alaska Native
82
Rhode Island
Rhode Island
State
Rhode Island
All Races
79
White
79
Hispanic
83
Black
73
Asian
86
American Indian and Alaska Native
84
South Carolina
South Carolina
State
South Carolina
All Races
77
White
78
Hispanic
81
Black
73
Asian
83
American Indian and Alaska Native
80
South Dakota
South Dakota
State
South Dakota
All Races
79
White
80
Hispanic
82
Black
81
Asian
85
American Indian and Alaska Native
67
Tennessee
Tennessee
State
Tennessee
All Races
76
White
76
Hispanic
80
Black
72
Asian
82
American Indian and Alaska Native
80
Texas
Texas
State
Texas
All Races
79
White
78
Hispanic
81
Black
74
Asian
85
American Indian and Alaska Native
81
Utah
Utah
State
Utah
All Races
79
White
79
Hispanic
81
Black
80
Asian
84
American Indian and Alaska Native
74
Vermont
Vermont
State
Vermont
All Races
79
White
79
Hispanic
83
Black
81
Asian
87
American Indian and Alaska Native
85
Virginia
Virginia
State
Virginia
All Races
79
White
79
Hispanic
84
Black
74
Asian
86
American Indian and Alaska Native
82
Washington
Washington
State
Washington
All Races
80
White
80
Hispanic
81
Black
78
Asian
84
American Indian and Alaska Native
74
West Virginia
West Virginia
State
West Virginia
All Races
74
White
74
Hispanic
79
Black
72
Asian
79
American Indian and Alaska Native
79
Wisconsin
Wisconsin
State
Wisconsin
All Races
79
White
79
Hispanic
83
Black
73
Asian
85
American Indian and Alaska Native
71
Wyoming
Wyoming
State
Wyoming
All Races
79
White
79
Hispanic
81
Black
80
Asian
85
American Indian and Alaska Native
72
State
All Races
White
Hispanic
Black
Asian
American Indian and Alaska Native
United States
78
78
82
75
86
77
Alabama
75
76
79
72
80
78
Alaska
78
80
80
79
87
70
Arizona
79
80
81
76
87
71
Arkansas
75
76
79
72
80
78
California
81
80
83
76
87
75
Colorado
80
80
81
77
87
74
Connecticut
80
80
82
78
87
83
Delaware
78
78
81
75
85
83
District of Columbia
78
87
87
72
89
98
Florida
80
79
82
76
86
81
Georgia
77
78
81
75
85
80
Hawaii
82
81
87
80
83
81
Idaho
79
79
83
81
84
74
Illinois
79
79
82
73
85
83
Indiana
77
76
82
73
85
81
Iowa
79
79
81
74
86
80
Kansas
78
78
81
73
84
79
Kentucky
75
75
79
72
80
78
Louisiana
76
77
80
73
81
80
Maine
78
78
82
80
85
83
Maryland
79
80
81
75
87
83
Massachusetts
80
80
82
78
86
84
Michigan
78
78
80
73
86
79
Minnesota
80
81
83
79
86
69
Mississippi
74
76
79
72
80
79
Missouri
77
77
81
73
84
81
Montana
78
79
82
81
86
69
Nebraska
79
79
82
73
86
71
Nevada
78
76
80
76
84
74
New Hampshire
79
79
83
80
87
84
New Jersey
80
80
82
74
87
84
New Mexico
78
78
78
74
81
73
New York
81
81
82
78
87
83
North Carolina
78
78
81
75
84
76
North Dakota
79
80
85
82
88
69
Ohio
76
77
81
73
85
80
Oklahoma
76
76
80
72
81
73
Oregon
79
79
84
77
86
76
Pennsylvania
78
78
82
73
86
82
Rhode Island
79
79
83
73
86
84
South Carolina
77
78
81
73
83
80
South Dakota
79
80
82
81
85
67
Tennessee
76
76
80
72
82
80
Texas
79
78
81
74
85
81
Utah
79
79
81
80
84
74
Vermont
79
79
83
81
87
85
Virginia
79
79
84
74
86
82
Washington
80
80
81
78
84
74

References

  1. healthadministrationdegree
    https://healthadministrationdegree.usc.edu/blog/how-to-improve-access-to-health-care/
  2. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8224540
  3. American Journal of Public Health
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6893335
  4. American Journal of Health Behavior
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6628721
  5. Medical Care
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3552105
  6. BMC Medical Ethics
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5333436
  7. Communities in Action: Pathways to Health Equity
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK425844/
  8. The Lancet
    https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(17)30569-X/abstract
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    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4194634
  10. Journal of the National Medical Association
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2593958
  11. New England Journal of Medicine
    https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2008628
  12. www
    https://www.census.gov/topics/population/race/about.html
  13. Population and Development Review
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2882688
  14. United States Census Bureau
    https://www.census.gov/mso/www/training/pdf/race-ethnicity-onepager.pdf
  15. Census
    https://www.census.gov/topics/population/race/about.html
  16. United States Census Bureau
    https://www.census.gov/
  17. www
    https://www.ahrq.gov/research/findings/nhqrdr/index.html
  18. Daedalus
    https://doi.org/10.1162%2F0011526053124370
  19. JAMA Network Open
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9857687
  20. "Racial Health Equity and Social Needs Interventions: Rapid Review"
    https://www.pcori.org/research-results/2021/rapid-review-racial-health-equity-and-social-needs-interventions
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