“When it comes to health, the choices we make depend a lot on the options available to us,” assistant research program manager Dr. Derek Chapman told Medical Xpress. “In some areas, there are more liquor stores than grocery stores, there is a lack of safe and affordable housing, or poor quality schooling. In addition, in many urban and rural areas, people have been isolated from diverse opportunities for generations. America cannot be a healthy nation if we forget about entire communities,”he added.
Research has led to the conclusion that life expectancy can differ by as much as 20 years in areas separated by a distance of only a few kilometers. For example, 8 kilometers from North Philadelphia, in the Sosayeti Hill area, life expectancy is two decades higher. Between East Harlem, New York, and Murray Hill, six bus stops apart, there is almost a 10-year difference in this figure.
The researchers created special maps showing life expectancy based on data from the US Census Bureau and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as federal and local health agencies.
The challenge now is to narrow the life expectancy gap and create healthier living conditions for the entire population.
“To create a culture of healthy living, we must build a society in which everyone, no matter who or where they live, has the opportunity to lead a fulfilling, productive and healthy life,” said RWJF President Risa Lavizzo-Murei. There is no single, optimal solution for all cases. Each community must chart its own course and each individual must play a role in improving health in their own home, school and city.
Igor Abramov