Hispanics live longer than non-Hispanic Whites, a life expectancy advantage known as the "Hispanic Paradox" because no one can explain it. Given the relatively low socioeconomic status of Hispanics, their life expectancy should be well below that of non-Hispanic Whites. Instead, Hispanic life expectancy at birth is 2.6 years greater.
In an effort to explain the paradox, researchers from the National Center for Health Statistics analyzed death rates to determine which causes of death are killing non-Hispanic Whites at a higher rate than Hispanics. The finding: it's the big ones. Hispanics are less likely than non-Hispanic Whites to die from cancer, heart disease, accidents, suicide, chronic lower respiratory disease, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's. Lower death rates from cancer alone account for a quarter of the 2.6 year life expectancy advantage of Hispanics over non-Hispanic Whites.
Why are Hispanics less likely than non-Hispanic Whites to die from cancer, heart disease, and other major causes of death? No one has the answer to that question, and so the Hispanic Paradox continues.
Source: National Center for Health Statistics, How Does Cause of Death Contribute to the Hispanic Mortality Advantage in the United States?
1 comment:
Maybe they just take better care of themselves.
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