Maryland Releases Updated Chartbook of Minority Health and Minority Health Disparities Data
his is the third edition of the Chartbook, which highlights health disparities data from 2005 to 2010. Previous versions were published in September 2007 and December 2009. The Chartbook provides essential information for identifying and measuring disparities, determining the causes of disparities, planning interventions that work, and tracking progress. The new edition of the Chartbook is available online at http://dhmh.maryland.gov/mhhd.
Data highlights from the Chartbook include:
Compared to Whites, the Black or African American death rates for the period of 2007-2009 were:
1.2 times higher for heart disease
1.2 times higher for cancer
1.3 times higher for stroke
1.8 times higher for bloodstream infections
2.0 times higher for kidney diseases
2.3 times higher for diabetes
7.7 times higher for homicide
10.9 times higher for HIV/AIDS
The cost of the Black vs. White disparity in admission rate and severity disparities was about $800 million in Maryland for 2011.
Heart disease was the leading cause of death for all women. Heart disease had the largest Black-to-White mortality rate disparity for women.
Black men’s prostate cancer mortality rate was 2.0 times higher compared to White men, while the Black prostate cancer incidence was 1.4 times higher.
The HIV incidence rate was 2.2 times higher for American Indians or Alaska Natives than for Whites in 2009.
The proportion of adults unable to afford health care in the prior year was 1.4 times higher for Asians or Pacific Islanders than for Whites in the period 2006 to 2010.
The rate of new AIDS cases among Hispanics or Latinos was 4.7 times higher than for Whites in 2009.
The Chartbook highlights reduction of Black vs. White mortality disparities across major chronic conditions in the last 10 years. For example, the heart disease mortality disparity between Blacks and Whites was reduced by 29.1 percent, and the cancer mortality disparity between Blacks and Whites was reduced by 64.7 percent.
One new feature of this Chartbook is a more comprehensive approach to racial and ethnic population data. In addition to presenting data grouped by persons reporting a single race (and a group for multiracial responses), this edition also contains data for the number of persons reporting that race as any portion of their heritage. This second approach, a standard method used by the Census Bureau, provides an expanded picture of Maryland’s American Indian and Alaska Native populations. The third edition of the Chartbook also highlights demographic information for each of Maryland’s 24 jurisdictions.
For questions regarding the Chartbook, or for general questions about minority health and health disparities, contact the Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities at www.dhmh.maryland.gov/mhhd, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or 410-767-7117.
