“The life expectancy in some urban pockets in New York and in rural Mississippi may be even lower than in some of sub-Sahara Africa,” said Dr. Garth Graham, deputy assistant secretary for HHS’s Office of Minority Health. “Life expectancy may be 15 years less than the general U.S. population.” Health disparities are a complicated problem that will not be solved with just more access to healthcare or improving socio-economic status. “It’s not just geography,” he said. “Some of same problems with access to care in Tupelo, Miss, are the same as for those in poverty-stricken areas in Manhattan.” Read more…