Disparities in life expectancy found at census-tract level

Sunday, July 19, 2020 - 12:30 in Biology & Nature

Life expectancy in the U.S. varies widely when analyzed at the census-tract level, and the method may provide a more detailed picture of health disparities in the U.S. than other widely used analyses of life expectancy, according to new research led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The study is the first to analyze life expectancy data at the local level across the contiguous U.S., as well as at the state and county level. The method may also provide a more detailed picture of health disparities in the U.S. than other widely used analyses. According to Census.gov, census tracts are small, relatively permanent statistical subdivisions of a geographical area, averaging at about 4,000 inhabitants. “Our study shows that as far as geographic variation in life expectancy is concerned, it’s a pretty local phenomenon,” said S.V. Subramanian, professor of population health and geography and co-author of the study. “States are...

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