Black Americans documented 1.63 million more excess death than their White peers in the past two decades, according to new research.
With data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a study published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medicine Association found that the deaths accounted for 80 million years of collective “potential life lost" since 1999.
Between 1999 and 2011, excess deaths among Black men decreased from 404 to 211 per 100,000. The rate remained consistent until 2019, then jumped again in 2020 to 395 per 100,000. The rate for Black women showed a similar trend, falling from 224 to 87 per every 100,000 between 1999 and 2015, then jumping in 2020 to 192.
"The sheer scale of the difference requires a revisiting of our national approach to combatting disparities," the report reads. "A wealth of prior work, however, points to the contribution of structural racism, unmet social needs, and systemic bias as root causes."
Researchers wrote that the data reflects the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on vulnerable communities, explaining: "These early trends are consistent with the fear that the pandemic both disproportionately attacked populations experiencing structural inequities and increased existing disparities."
Heart disease and cancer were also "important sources of the disparity." Diseases particularly impact Black communities through lack of access to healthcare, which the report says should force national and local leaders to ensure "clinical advancements are experienced uniformly across the population."
Environmental factors also play a role in the deaths, as previous research shows that the Black mortality rate would drop by 7 percent if restrictions were levied against air pollution. Many historically Black communities have fought companies seeking to construct energy or production facilities in their areas -- which would exacerbate pollution and health conditions.
"Excess mortality and years of potential life lost by race could serve as a major national (and local) gauge of progress toward achieving health equity," it reads. "Although achieving equity in these metrics may need persistent multigenerational efforts, it is crucial to advance rapidly in that direction."
