Prescription Health: 8 factors that could cause an early death
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A new study reveals eight factors that play a role when it comes to race and mortality, and it may not come down to just the color of your skin.
The new study out of Tulane University reports black adults who live in the U.S. have a 59% higher risk of premature death than white adults.
Epidemilogist Joshua Bundy believes disparities in eight social economic factors are to blame, and they are all interrelated.
“Those who don't have any high school education at all are at the highest risk,” Bundy said.
Education impacts employment, which impacts healthcare.
“Maybe you then don't have access to health insurance,” Bundy said.
Income impacts access to healthy choices.
The study found homeownership is an indicator of what people can and cannot afford. Even marital status matters.
“Being married may offer social support,” Bundy said. “There has been a lot of debate on whether this is some kind of genetic reason… but what our study is really saying is that it's really explained all by social factors."
Bundy believes by knowing how these things impact our lives, we can work to build systems to solve these disparities — and hopefully see more people, of all races, live longer, healthier lives.
Watch the video above for the full story.
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