Seeing Inequity: Decades Behind

How many significant advances have there been in public health and medical technology the last half century?

Enough to cut the infant mortality rates in St. Louis City and County in half.

From 1967–1976, the infant mortality rate for St. Louis City was 27.4, meaning for every 1000 live births, 27.4 died before the age of one. For St. Louis County, the number was 14.2.

Five decades later, from 2005–2014, the City rate was down to 10.7, and the County rate was down to 7.2.

That’s great news for babies. But not all babies.

When you look at the data by race, you see something else. From 2005–2014, the infant mortality rate for Black babies in the County is 13.3 — just under the rate for White babies five decades ago.

In the City, the rate is 14.2 — still not better than the rate for White babies four decades ago.

And while the infant mortality rates have come down across the board, the gap is worse.

From 1967–1976, the infant mortality rate for Black babies in the City was 1.6 times higher than the rate for White babies. Today it is 2.7 times higher.

In the County, it was 1.4 times higher. Today it is 3.2 times higher.

This is life and death in St. Louis.

This is what racial inequity looks like.