The city of Flint is launching a new program to better understand why life expectancy in parts of the city is far lower than surrounding communities.
According to the U.S. Census, the average life expectancy in Flint is just under 75 years. Michigan’s statewide average is 77.5 years. And the numbers are slightly higher in some of the suburban communities that border Flint.
But the overall numbers don’t tell the whole story.
Shebra Ward is the director of Flint’s new Division of Health Strategies and Advancement. She said in some parts of Flint, life expectancy is dramatically lower.
“There is no reason the life expectancy on the north side of the Flint should be 63 years, when we have so many resources, advancements in technology, and other medications that can help you live healthy and well,” said Ward.
To better understand why life expectancy varies so widely within the city, city workers will spend the coming month talking to city residents and collecting health data.
Dr. Javon Gill will be working as a consultant on the survey.
“We can spend a lot of time trying to explore why or guess why or make [an] estimation for why these life expectancies are so short in our city of Flint,” said Gill. “Or we can do the work. Put a microscope on our own city.”
The plan is for city leaders to use the data to come up with a strategy to address specific health and medical needs in Flint.
