Mortality tied to the ‘hood

For residents of the San Joaquin Valley, life expectancy varies greatly by ZIP code, a new study finds.

Conducted by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies in Washington, D.C., the study illustrated cases in which there was a 21-year difference in life expectancy between neighborhoods, according to California Watch. Income and race were often determining factors, as ZIP codes with the lowest life expectancy typically had a higher percentage of minority and low-income residents. For instance, residents of historically black, low-income southwest Fresno are likely to live nine years less than residents of Fresno’s affluent, mostly white Woodward Park neighborhood, just 20 miles away.

“It doesn’t have to do with the attributes of the individuals in a community, but often the conditions they find themselves living in,” said Brian Smedley, vice president and director of the center’s Health Policy Institute.