Sep 6, 2017

The infant mortality problem by race and geography

Bob Herman

Babies with black mothers die twice as often as babies with white or Hispanic mothers, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And that's across urban and rural settings.

Why it matters: A main finding of the CDC report was infant mortality rates were highest in rural areas and lowest in large urban areas. But that also makes sense, since people in rural counties are farther away from hospitals and doctors. The more eye-opening data show a gaping disparity in death rates for black infants regardless of where they live.

The numbers: The infant mortality rate for newborns with black mothers in rural counties was 12.1 deaths for every 1,000 live births in 2014. The death rate for babies with white and Hispanic mothers in rural counties was half of that (6 and 5.3 deaths, respectively). The numbers and ratios were similar for mothers who live in medium-sized urban counties and large urban counties.

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Marisa Fernandez

Study: Medicaid expansion helps improve infant mortality rates

A newborn baby in the intensive care unit. Photo: Anton Novoderezhkin\TASS via Getty Images

Medicaid expansion and other social services help improve infant mortality rates, according to a new report from the liberal Center for American Progress.

Why it matters: The U.S. is ranked 55th in the world on infant mortality — alongside Serbia.

Go deeperArrowDec 17, 2019
Alexi McCammond

Exclusive poll: Black Americans motivated by Trump to vote in 2020

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

A majority of black Americans are more interested in voting in the 2020 presidential election than they were in 2016, according to a national survey of 1200 black voters and non-voters conducted by Third Way and the Joint Center.

Why it matters: Black voter turnout declined significantly in 2016 nationally and in key swing states, ultimately contributing to Hillary Clinton's loss to Donald Trump. New details from focus groups and polling suggests that the motivation to remove Trump from office is firing up black Americans to head to the polls next November.

Go deeperArrowDec 30, 2019
Axios

America's heart disease epidemic

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Americans are increasingly dying of heart disease and strokes as they hit middle age — and the trend is happening across the country, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of mortality rates.

Why it matters: It suggests "that the underlying causes of cardiovascular disease are universal and difficult to address," the Journal found.

Go deeperArrowJan 14, 2020