Alameda County Report Finds Ethnic Health Disparities

Almost 60% of mortalities in the Tri-City area of Alameda County are caused by heart disease, cancer or stroke, according to a new report by the county public health department, the Oakland Tribune reports.

The 2007 Tri-City Health Profile also found that the rate of diabetes in the three cities -- Fremont, Union City and Newark -- was higher than the county average from 2000 through 2004.

Tony Iton, a county health officer, said the findings are not yet a health crisis but represent an "early warning signal."

Iton attributed the above-average rate to several factors:

Less time for active lifestyles because of long work commutes;
Poor diet; and
A large proportion of Hispanic and Asian immigrant communities, which have a disproportionately high rate of diabetes, according to the report.

The report found the mortality rate for African-Americans was more than twice the rate for Asian-Americans, and nearly twice the rate for Hispanics. African-Americans also had a higher rate of coronary heart disease than any other racial or ethnic group, according to the report (Woodall, Oakland Tribune, 2/21). This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.