By Herbert L. White
The Charlotte Post
Where you’re born in North Carolina can determine how long you live.
According to research by NC Child, babies born in Mecklenburg County can expect to live 80.4 years, 1.3 years less than in Orange County, which has the state’s best longevity rate. In Watauga County, where Boone is the largest city, life expectancy is 81 years, on par with Japan, which the longest rate among major industrialized countries.
In Swain County, 100 miles to the west, life expectancy drops to 73 years – on par with Cambodia.
“Across indicators we see that a distance of fewer than 100 miles can mean the difference between positive or negative outcomes in children’s lives, a fact that simply cannot be explained by random chance or genetic predisposition,” said Laila Bell, director of research and data at NC Child. “These geographic disparities are a stark reminder of the profound impact the environments where our children live, play and go to school have on their long-term health opportunities.”
In Mecklenburg, North Carolina’s largest metropolitan area:
• 1 in 17 births (5.7 percent) is to a mother who received late or no prenatal care.
• 1 in 5 children (20 percent) live in poverty. Research shows poor children have poorer health outcomes and are more likely to suffer acute and chronic health problems as they get older.
• 1 in 13 kids is uninsured (7.8 percent). Children who lack access to insurance are less likely to receive preventive care to assess and maintain good health.
• 52,730 children (22.2 percent) are estimated to be food insecure, living in households that struggle to provide healthy, nutritious food for the entire family.
• One in 11 babies (8.9 percent) is born at a low birth weight putting children at greater risk for developmental delays or future health complications including infant mortality.
“These health challenges are avoidable,” Bell said.“We know that smart public policy decisions can help enhance local efforts to ensure all children in Mecklenburg live in homes and communities that promote their health and development.”
For African Americans in Mecklenburg, the risks are more pronounced due in part to poverty. According to county data, 31.9 percent of black children live in poverty, compared to 38 percent of Latinos and 5.8 percent of whites. African American infants are more likely to be born at low weight (13.2 percent) than Latino (7.8 percent) and white (6 percent).
One in four Mecklenburg residents – 238,000 people – are under age 18. African Americans make up 35 percent of the child population, while whites make up 41 percent and Latinos 9 percent.
Bell compiled data on social, economic and health outcomes as a supplement to the North Carolina Child Health Report Card, an annual report released in conjunction with the North Carolina Institute of Medicine that monitors the health and safety of N.C. children.
On the Net:
www.ncchild.org/publication/2013-child-health-report-card-county-data-cards
Source: NC’s Life Expectancy Disparity Study: Where you’re Born a Major Factor.