Philadelphia Tribune —Black men have the lowest life expectancy of any racial or ethnic group in Philadelphia, according to a report released by city health officials this week.
On average, Black men live 69.1 years, which is five years less than the average of other men and 10 years less than the average of other women, according to the report called “Brotherly Love: Health of Black Men and Boys in Philadelphia.”
Homicide is a leading cause of death for young Black men ages 15 to 34. Nearly 75 percent of all victims and known perpetrators are young Black men.
Meanwhile, hypertension and related illnesses such as kidney disease, and strokes impact Black men earlier and more often than other racial groups. Asthma is a significant source of morbidity for Black boys, as hospitalizations for asthma are nearly nine times higher compared to white boys.
“Black men and boys have been experiencing disparate health outcomes for quite some time and in many areas we are seeing some improvements, “ said Dr. Raynard Washington, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health’s chief epidemiologist.
“In some ways, things are improving for Black men and boys, but there is still a gap between their health outcomes and others.”
Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley said in a news release, “The first step to solving any problem is drawing attention to it.
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