HYATTSVILLE, Md., Oct. 14 (UPI) -- Life expectancy for U.S. Hispanics is more than two years longer than for non-Hispanic whites and almost eight years longer than African-Americans, data show.
A report for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics -- "United States Life Tables by Hispanic Origin," by Elizabeth Arias, of the division of vital statistics -- finds life expectancy at birth for the total U.S. population in 2006 was 77.7 years. It was 80.6 years for the Hispanic population, 78.1 years for the non-Hispanic white population and 72.9 years for non-Hispanic blacks.
The Hispanic population has a life expectancy advantage at birth of 2.5 years more than the non-Hispanic white population and 7.7 years over the non-Hispanic black population.
CDC officials say in a statement the reasons behind the lower mortality in Hispanics are not known.
However, Dr .Jane L. Delgado -- president and chief executive officer of the National Alliance for Hispanic Health and author of "The Latina Guide to Health" -- says the data show understanding the unique Hispanic health profile holds the promise of lessons that can applied for good health for all communities.
"These findings show that risk factors are not deterministic and suggest that culture, family and community may have a powerful positive impact on well-being," Delgado says in a statement. "Our health models need to better incorporate the health experiences of all communities."
