York County Medicine Winter 2019 - 27

York County Life Expectancy Study
Why should we study life expectancy?
Not everyone has the same opportunity to live a healthy life.
This Life Expectancy Study - which examines the average age
to which people can expect to live - is a powerful tool to show
that people living just a few miles apart may have vastly
different opportunities for a long life.

How do these data advance health?
* Help public health officials, local leaders, and community
members understand the disparities in health among
population groups.
* Start conversations about what is causing these disparities.
* Guide decisions on how to improve our community's health.

What is the life expectancy
of a child born today?
The answer depends
on where they live...

73 YRS
York City

83 YRS

Dallastown

76 YRS
Delta

What can we do to improve life expectancy?
From small steps to large policy changes, everyone has a role to play and can work together to address life
expectancy disparities.
Community Members
Use these data to guide conversations about what might be causing life expectancy disparities. Once we understand the root issues, we can talk with each other and our elected officials about what changes we want to see -
including increased access to healthy foods, affordable housing, new transportation options, or more education and
job training opportunities.
Health & Human Service Professionals
Use these data to ensure that social disparity considerations inform decisions regarding programs and services. Use
these data to better inform our community health needs assessments, which will help direct limited dollars to the
areas most in need.
Policymakers and Community Development Officials
Use these data to better understand disparities and make important decisions about public transportation and
housing, requirements for physical activity and healthy foods in schools, community safety, access to health care,
and much more. Use these data to help decide which neighborhoods most need investment dollars to fund health
clinics, schools, preschools, community centers, and other projects that can help improve health.

Here's what York County residents have to say . . .
"People are just trying to live and pay their bills today. They're not worried about eating healthy."
"You're supposed to walk 20 minutes a day, but that's a challenge if you're afraid to walk outside."
"People living in slums deal with toxins, mold, lead, pollution, stress of shootings, clean water,
feeling safe in your home, fear of walking outside, fear of getting hit by a car, fear of shoot-outs or
drug-deals outside your home, anxiety, mental health . . . it's about quality of life."
Source: Community Conversations held in Winter/Spring 2019.

York County Medicine Winter 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of York County Medicine Winter 2019