African-American women in California fare much worse than their white counterparts in a variety of different health measures. A new report from the Kaiser Family Foundation highlights some of the disparities.
The report says compared to white women in California, African-American women have higher rates of diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.
The largest area of disparity is in new AIDS cases, where black women have twenty times higher rates than whites.
Usha Ranji is the Kaiser Family Foundation's principal policy analyst.
"The AIDS epidemic certainly affects all groups, but it definitely has taken a disproportionate toll on African-American communities across the country," Ranji points out.
The percentage of uninsured varies widely among ethnic groups in California. The most affected are Hispanic women. One out of three is uninsured.
