Mortality rate remains high among Black men in rural areas

Americans' average lifespan has increased over the past half-century, but significant disparities remain among rural residents, especially Black men, according to a newly published cross-sectional data analysis.

The researchers examined data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration from 1968 to 2016. They note that the mortality rate has improved among rural Black men, but not as much as among people who are white, urban, and/or female.

Higher mortality rates in rural settings are likely because of the higher incidence of chronic illness and unintentional injuries, the researchers say. Those trends are more pressing among rural people of color, who are more likely to live in low-income neighborhoods, have chronic illnesses, and have blue-collar jobs (where physical injuries are more likely).