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10 | Orange County Community Health Assessment - Executive Summary Disparities In Orange County, as in other parts of NC and the United States, health status depends in part on where one lives and the individual’s racial, ethnic, and economic status, gender, and income. Some aspects of health disparities in Orange County are the following: Race: A lifetime of health disparities shortens the lives of People of Color. The average life expectancy of African Americans living in Orange County is 76 years, while their white counterparts are expected to live until 81.3 years. Also, per CHA survey results, People of Color were 10% less likely to self-report very good or excellent health and 10% more likely to report poor or fair health than white people. In Orange County, as elsewhere in the state and nation, significant racial differences in morbidity and mortality continue to be documented. For example, during 2005-2009, the rate of death from diabetes complications for minority residents in Orange County was 3.4 times that of white residents. And the rate of minority-race infants born with low birth weight (and at-risk for developmental complications) in recent years was close to twice that for white infants. With a growing Latino population in Orange County it is important to increase an understanding of how to sustain good health among immigrants, refugees, and their offspring. Ethnicity: Due to their cultural and linguistic diversity and unfamiliarity with the US health care system, recent immigrants and refugees in Orange County face special challenges in accessing health care. Barriers related to language, health insurance, the high cost of health care, and the need for health care orientation and education are recurring themes among both groups. Both immigrants and refugees have voiced a need for better patient/provider communication. Latino community leaders in particular have emphasized a need for more appointments at health centers that charge on a sliding-scale, where these populations tend to seek services. Gender: The average life expectancy in Orange County, based on 2006-2008 numbers, varies by gender. Life expectancy for males living in Orange County is 78.5 years, while females are expected to live to 82.7 years. However, in the CHA Opinion survey, self-reports of health were not different by gender. Income: It is expected that socioeconomic status may significantly impact Orange County and NC life expectancies (due to availability of care, quality of life, etc.). Among those responding to the Community Health Opinion Survey undertaken for this CHA, the highest income bracket was 10-20% more likely to characterize their health as excellent or very good than the lower two income brackets. Place: Neighborhood conditions have an indirect effect on health by impacting the ease with which residents can make healthy choices related to diet, exercise, and safety. Where people live may also determine their proximity to health care or environmental hazards, access to clean water and sewer, the quality of schools, the availability of affordable housing, and the opportunity for positive social interactions with neighbors. Local Health Disparities