An Overview of Los Angeles County- Size, Population, and Economic Snapshot
Week 1 Peer Response
Hello
Great post! You’ve provided a thorough analysis of the demographic data and life expectancy rates in Los Angeles County, highlighting the stark disparities that exist within different neighborhoods. Your response effectively illustrates how socioeconomic factors, such as income, poverty, and access to healthcare, can significantly impact life expectancy and contribute to health inequities. I appreciate your recognition of the need to address these disparities in your future practice.
One aspect that I would like to further explore is the role of systemic racism and its impact on the observed life expectancy gaps. Research has shown that racial and ethnic minorities, particularly Black and Hispanic communities, face disproportionate barriers in accessing quality healthcare, housing, education, and other social determinants of health (Ndugga & Artiga, 2023). These structural inequities, rooted in historical and ongoing discrimination, can lead to higher rates of chronic diseases, mental health issues, and premature mortality.
It would be interesting to examine the racial and ethnic composition of the census tracts you identified and how that correlates with the life expectancy rates. Are the neighborhoods with lower life expectancy predominantly comprised of minority populations? If so, what specific challenges do these communities face, and how can we address the underlying systemic factors contributing to these disparities?
Noteworthy, your analysis focused on the county level; it is also essential to recognize that health inequities exist at broader regional, state, and national levels. Exploring these broader trends and how they intersect with local dynamics could provide valuable insights for developing comprehensive strategies to promote health equity.
Furthermore, as a future healthcare professional, it’s crucial to consider how one’s practice can actively work towards addressing these inequities. This could involve advocating for policy changes, collaborating with community organizations, and adopting a culturally competent and patient-centered approach that acknowledges and addresses the unique needs and barriers faced by diverse populations (Flaubert et al., 2021).
By continuing to critically examine the root causes of health disparities and actively seeking solutions, we can work towards creating a more equitable healthcare system and improving health outcomes for all communities.
References
Flaubert, J. L., Menestrel, S. L., Williams, D. R., & Wakefield, M. K. (2021). The role of nurses in improving health equity. In www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. National Academies Press (US). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK573898/
Ndugga, N., & Artiga, S. (2023, April 21). Disparities in health and health care: 5 key questions and answers. Kaiser Family Foundation. https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/issue-brief/disparities-in-health-and-health-care-5-key-question-and-answers/
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Question 
PLEASE WRITE PEER RESPONSE TO THE POST BELOW
As the 11th largest county in the state of California, Los Angeles County encompasses 4060.2 square miles and is comprised of 10,014,009 people according to the 2020 Decennial Census. The median household income is $82,516, less than the median household income of California of $91,551 (United States Census Bureau, n.d.). The poverty percentage of Los Angeles County is 13.9% which is a higher percentage than the 12.2% poverty percentage of the state of California. About 8.2% of residents in Los Angeles County are without health insurance which is a higher percentage than the 6.5% of residents of the state of California that do not have health insurance. An additional demographic of Los Angeles is that 54.8% of people speak a language other than English at home, compared to the 44.4% of Californians who speak a language other than English at home (United States Census Bureau, n.d.). In all categories, it seems as though Los Angeles has a slightly worse demographic picture when it comes to health insurance, poverty, and income which could be reflected when looking at health inequities and life expectancy in the area where I live.
An Overview of Los Angeles County- Size, Population, and Economic Snapshot
Los Angeles is a large county that varies immensely among neighborhoods when it comes to demographics. There are areas where the residents are millionaires and others where the residents are impoverished and that is reflected in the variability of life expectancy. In census tract 2611.02, located in the Hollywood Hills, the average life expectancy is 90.2 years while in census tract 2410.02, located in an underserved area, the average life expectancy is 68.8 years. The average life expectancy of the entire state of California is in the middle of these two with the average age being 81.3 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d.). Demographics that may play a role in life expectancy are socioeconomic status, level of education, race, and access to health coverage (Crimmins & Zhang, 2019).
While I knew that Los Angeles had a wide variety of people in many different socioeconomic classes, it was sobering to see the actual breakdown of how different neighborhoods can have different life expectancies. The neighborhood with the highest life expectancy did not surprise me and the neighborhood with the lowest life expectancy did not surprise me, which is something I will keep in mind in terms of my future practice. I do not know where I will end up with my career but I do know that I will take into account the populations that may need extra support to bridge the gap in Los Angeles County so that steps can be made where life expectancy does not vary so much between zip codes.