CDC Reports Hispanics Live Longer

An October 2010 report published by the Centers for Disease Control finds that the life expectancy of Hispanics is longer than those of non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic blacks.  This is the first ever report on the life tables of Hispanic population and non-Hispanic black population.  This finding is a paradox in that  of the three groups, more Hispanics currently fall into the lower socioeconomic status. Nineteen percent of Hispanics live below the poverty line.

According to the report, the Hispanic population of any age from birth has a higher life expectancy than the non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic black population until age 95 when life expectancy of Hispanic males equal that of non-Hispanic black at 3.5 years. Of those born in 2006, Hispanics can expect to live an average of 80 years, non-Hispanic whites to 78 and non-Hispanic blacks to 73.

The report speculates the reasons could be due to data artifacts, migration effects and cultural effects.  The last two are still conjecture and will require further study.

• ·         Data artifacts could include incongruence between ethnic classifications of the numerators  (data from vital registration) and denominators (data from census population estimates)  of death rates, misstatement of age thus affecting the age report at time of death, and problems with data linkages which could under report the death numbers.

• ·         Migration effects are thought to be due to migration of healthy individuals called the healthy migrant effect and the return of ill immigrants to their home country called the salmon bias effect.

• ·         Cultural effects of family structure, lifestyle behaviors and social network found in the Hispanic community could confer some degree of protection from the negative effects of minority and low socioeconomic status.