Life expectantcy gap needs to be narrowed

Americans are living longer, thanks to improvements in medicine and living healthier lives, including better nutrition and exercise. And for the first time, the life expectancy in South Dakota has climbed past 80 years.

According to a new report using data from the state Health Department and World Life Expectancy, the average lifespan of South Dakotans grew from 78 years in 1997 to 80 in 2007, the most recent year for data.

Women still lead in longevity over men, averaging 82.6 years, compared with 77.2 years for males. South Dakotans of both sexes live longer than the national average of 81 years for women and 75.6 years for men.

The biggest improvement is in life expectancy of Native Americans, who traditionally suffer from poor access to health care. Life expectancy for Natives is in the mid-60s, increasing by about 10 years of longevity in the same time span. Those working with tribal health care organizations credit better prevention programs and education on Native health issues, including diabetes, heart disease, alcohol treatment and nutrition.

Despite the gains in life expectancy among Native Americans, there remains a significant gap with the white population. Access to health care is a problem on reservations with poor roads and long distances to health clinics, and the extreme poverty found in reservation counties also affects longevity.

As the state’s population grows older, South Dakota needs to be prepared for an increasingly aging population. The state Legislature addressed this issue by passing bills that lifted the moratorium on nursing home beds in the state and repealed a sunset provision on a 2010 law that will allow construction of nursing homes on reservations.

Modern medicine that eliminates many childhood diseases also helps older citizens to live longer, healthier lives. What’s not to like about that?

Closing the life expectancy gap between whites in South Dakota and Native Americans needs to be addressed. Significant strides have been made in recent years to improve Native American health care access and education, but more needs to be done.

Tags: opinion, editorials, health