"Despite Rising Life Expectancy, Disparity in Black-White Infant Mortality Continues to Grow"

Since the 1950s, while the gap between Black and White Americans' overall mortality rates has narrowed, a troubling trend has emerged regarding infant mortality. A recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine reveals that the disparity has significantly increased. Between 1950 and 2019, Black Americans experienced a life expectancy rise of 20.4%, whereas White Americans saw a 13% increase. Alarmingly, the infant mortality rate gap has escalated from 92% to 115%. The research highlights 5 million preventable Black American deaths, including over 500,000 infants.