There are serious differences in life expectancy between racial and ethnic groups as described by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health in a new report called Los Angeles County Community Health Assessment 2015.

This report describes the key health issues and health discrepancies of Los Angeles County residents as well as the social and environmental conditions impacting health in the county.

The study shows that the average life expectancy across Los Angeles County has climbed from 78.8 years in 2001, to 81.5 years as of 2010.

The study divides the county into eight geographic regions. The Santa Clarita Valley is grouped together with the San Fernando Valley in region No. 2, which has the greatest population of the eight.

Region No. 2’s average life expectancy is 82.4 years as of 2010.

West L.A. is the only region with a higher life expectancy at 84.0 years as of 2010.

Photo courtesy of scvnews.com

“Stark differences in health status and the opportunity to live a healthy lifestyles persist among Los Angeles County residents,” said Jeffrey Gunzenhauser, MD, MPH, Interim Health Officer for Los Angeles County. “Understanding how disparities have a significant impact on health among various groups is critical to help improve health for all County residents and also to help define health-related priorities, policies, and programs. It will take collaboration across all sectors of our community to address the root causes of poor health in Los Angeles County.”

There is as much as a ten-year gap in life expectancy when comparing racial and ethnic groups in Los Angeles County.

Asian residents have the highest life expectancy at 85.8 years, followed by Latino at 83.1 years, white at 80.8 years, and black residents at 75.6 years as described in the report.

Coronary artery disease and homicide are the first and second leading causes of premature death countywide, as highlighted in the report. Both disproportionately impact black residents which have the highest rates of death from coronary artery disease and homicide.

The report also indicates that nearly 77 percent of adults in Los Angeles County have difficulty accessing fresh fruits and vegetables and cite high cost as the biggest barrier followed by the poor quality of produce available to them.

To view the report, visit the website.

The report was developed with community stakeholder input into the selection of health indicators.

The Department of Public Health is committed to protecting and improving the health of the nearly 10 million residents of Los Angeles County. Through a variety of programs, community partnerships and services, Public Health oversees environmental health, disease control, and community and family health.

Public Health comprises nearly 4,000 employees and has an annual budget exceeding $900 million. To learn more about Public Health and the work they do please visit their website, visit the YouTube channel, find them on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter.