This document presents health disparity data for African American women in Los Angeles County across several metrics. It shows that African Americans have higher rates of poverty, lower life expectancy, higher rates of obesity, hypertension, and infant mortality compared to other racial/ethnic groups in the county. Data on potential years of life lost and causes of mortality also demonstrate greater health burdens for African Americans.

1. Conceptual Framework:Conceptual Framework:
Health Disparities inHealth Disparities in
African-American WomenAfrican-American Women
Antronette (Toni) Yancey, MD, MPHAntronette (Toni) Yancey, MD, MPH
Associate Professor/Co-Director,Associate Professor/Co-Director,
UCLA School of Public Health andUCLA School of Public Health and
Center to Eliminate Health DisparitiesCenter to Eliminate Health Disparities

2. Race / Ethnic Composition of theRace / Ethnic Composition of the
Los Angeles County Population, 1990 and 2000Los Angeles County Population, 1990 and 2000
Black
Asian/PI
Other
Latino
White
Black
Asian/PI
OtherWhite
Latino
1990
n= 8,863,164
2000
n=9,519,338
37.8%
0.7%
40.8% 31.1% 12.0%
9.5%
44.6%
10.2%
10.5%
2.8%

3. Percentage of Adults (Age 18 years and older)Percentage of Adults (Age 18 years and older)
living below 200% of Federal Poverty Level,living below 200% of Federal Poverty Level,
by Service Planning Area, Los Angeles County, 1999by Service Planning Area, Los Angeles County, 1999
30%
50%
29%
73%
48%
33%
35%36%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Antelope
Valley
San
Fernando
San Gabriel Metro West South East South Bay
LA County
40%
1999-2000 Los Angeles County Health Survey
Department of Health Services, Public Health

4. Percentage of Children (Percentage of Children (≤≤17 years old)17 years old)
Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity,Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity,
Los Angeles County, 1999-2000Los Angeles County, 1999-2000
46%
9%
37%
21%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Latino White African American Asian/Pacific
Islander
1999-2000 Los Angeles County Health Survey
Department of Health Services, Public Health

5. Life Expectancy at Birth by Sex and Race/Ethnicity,Life Expectancy at Birth by Sex and Race/Ethnicity,
Los Angeles County, 1998Los Angeles County, 1998
74.3 74.3
76.4
66.4
77.878.0 77.7
79.8
72.5
80.7
60
65
70
75
80
85
Total White Latino Black Asian/PI
Years
Male
Female

6. Obj. 19-2
Total
White
Female
Male
Black
Female
Male
Mexican American
Female
Male
Target
Adult Obesity: 1988-94 to 1999-2000
0 10 20 30 40 50
Note: Data are for ages 20 years and over, age adjusted to the 2000 standard population.
Obesity is defined as BMI >= 30.0. Black and white exclude persons of Hispanic origin. Persons
of Mexican-American origin may be any race.
Source: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, NCHS, CDC.
Percent
1988-94
Race/Ethnicity

7. 0
100
200
300
400
500
600
Heart Disease Cancer Heart Disease Cancer
N-H White Black Hispanic
Asian Am Ind
Source: National Center for Health Statistics
Death rates by cause for persons aged 45 to 65, 1995
Men
Women
Deathsper100,000persons

8. 0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
Men Women
N-H White Black Hispanic Asian or PI Am Ind
Age-adjusted, 1998 data
Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Health US 2000, table 31
Years of Potential Life Lost to Diabetes
YPLLbeforeage75yper
100,000population

9. Hypertension & OverweightHypertension & Overweight
Rates: Women in the U.S.Rates: Women in the U.S.
Hypertension,%Hypertension,% Overweight, %Overweight, %
WW BB LatLat WW BB LatLat
AllAll 19.319.3 34.234.2 22.022.0 32.532.5 53.353.3 51.851.8
PoorPoor 30.230.2 39.939.9 24.524.5 42.042.0 55.055.0 54.954.9
NearNear
poorpoor
23.923.9 35.935.9 22.422.4 36.636.6 51.051.0 48.748.7
Mid,Mid,
Hi inc.Hi inc.
20.220.2 30.030.0 25.225.2 30.030.0 52.452.4 45.345.3

10. Years of Potential Life LostYears of Potential Life Lost
by Ethnicity (per 100,000)by Ethnicity (per 100,000)
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
Total
Afr Am
Am I nd
AsianPI
Latino
White

11. 30
3
7
100
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
1900 2000
Year
Rateper1,000
Infant (<1)
Child (1-19)
Infant and Child Mortality Rates in theInfant and Child Mortality Rates in the
United States, 1900 and 2000United States, 1900 and 2000

12. Infant Mortality RateInfant Mortality Rate
Los Angeles County, 1990-2000Los Angeles County, 1990-2000
0
4
8
12
16
20
Rateper1,000livebirths
Rate 8 7.8 7.2 7.3 6.9 6.7 5.9 5.9 5.9 5.4 4.9
Number 1,628 1,588 1,421 1,381 1,252 1,176 999 950 936 841 777
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

13. Infant Mortality Rate by Mother’s Race/Ethnicity,Infant Mortality Rate by Mother’s Race/Ethnicity,
Los Angeles County, 1991-2000Los Angeles County, 1991-2000
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
Year
Rateper1,000livebirths
White
Latino
African
American
Asian/ Pacific
Islander

14. Birth Rate Among Teens Aged 15-17 Years byBirth Rate Among Teens Aged 15-17 Years by
Mother’s Race/Ethnicity,Mother’s Race/Ethnicity,
Los Angeles County, 1991-2000Los Angeles County, 1991-2000
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
Year
Rateper1,000
White
Latina
African
American
Asian /Pacific
Islander