Disparities in Detroit
There is evidence to believe that health disparities in Detroit can be explained by race. As a majority African-American city, Detroit faces poor health outcomes in ways that cannot be explained by socioeconomic factors. This problem also intersects with gender, as women in Detroit face higher risks with giving birth than do women in other parts of the country. In Detroit, the population is majority African-American, and 40% of people live below the poverty line. Nationally, African American women have a 4 times greater risk than white women for suffering from infant and maternal mortality. Additionally, African American women are two times more likely than white women to receive absolutely no prenatal care. This puts the women at risk for diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and heart disease; therefore, lowering their risks for a successful pregnancy (McClain, 2014). People who have researched these disparities conclude to blame “uncontrolled health conditions” and “poverty that deprives low-income women on health insurance and access to health care.” These health disparities affecting women in the city all help answer the question “Why is giving birth in Detroit so dangerous?”
The above chart shows the infant mortality rate for 2010 and the average infant mortality rate over 5 years (2006 to 2010) for the counties in Southeastern Michigan.
Wayne County, where Detroit is located, has the highest infant mortality rate: in 2010, it was 9.7 per 1,000 live births and the five year rolling average was 10.2.
This graph shows that the infant mortality rate for the City of Detroit has consistently been higher than the rate for the State of Michigan all the way from 1970 following through 2000. On the bright side, the rates have been decreasing for both the city and the state. Unfortunately, Michigan has a smooth decreasing trend, while Detroit’s rate has been unstable. However, one thing to account for in regard to the smoothness of the Michigan curve is the larger number of cases.
Some important statistics to point out:
Detroit’s lowest infant mortality rate was 13.4 in 2006 while the state’s lowest rate was 7.1 in 2010. Detroit’s infant mortality rate was 13.5 in 2010.
This graph depicts the impact of race on infant mortality rates within Detroit. It seems to be that over time, from 1990-2010, African American children have always had the highest infant mortality rates.
In 1990, the rate of infant mortality for whites in the Detroit was 8.7, and in 2010 it was 8.5. During this 20-year period, it reached a high of 11.5 in 2003 and a low of 3.4 in 1996.
For blacks, the infant mortality high was recorded at 23.3 in 1992 and has since decreased to 14.4 in 2010.
Despite this hopeful decrease in infant mortality, blacks still prevail with much higher rates than white individuals in Detroit.
Sources:
Infant Mortality Trends. (2014, March 6). Retrieved December 11, 2017, from http://www.mdch.state.mi.us/pha/osr/InDxMain/BCMichiganTrends.asp
McClain, D. (2014, July 16). Why Is Giving Birth in Detroit So Dangerous? [Web log post]. Retrieved from https://www.thenation.com/article/why-giving-birth-detroit-so-dangerous/