August 2013 Health Healthy Life Expectancies at Age 65


regardless of race, and blacks throughout the United States, have lower healthy life expectancy at age 65, according to a report in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Healthy life expectancy (HLE) is a population health measure that estimates expected years of life in good health for people at a given age.


CDC used 2007-2009 data from


the National Vital Statistics Systems, U.S. Census Bureau, and Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to calculate HLEs by sex and race for each of the 50 states and Washington, D.C., for all people aged 65 years.


“Where you live in the United


States shouldn't determine how long and how healthy you live - but it does, far more than it should,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “Not only do people in certain states and African-Americans live shorter lives, they also live a greater proportion of their last years in poor health. It will be important moving forward to support prevention programs that make it easier for people to be healthy no matter where they live."


For all adults at 65, the highest


HLE was observed in Hawaii (16.2 years) and the lowest was in Mississippi (10.8 years). By race, HLE estimates for whites were lowest among Southern states. For blacks, HLE was comparatively low throughout the United States, except in Nevada and New Mexico. HLE was greater for


females than for males in all states, with the difference ranging from 0.7 years in Louisiana to 3.1 years in North Dakota and South Dakota.


Other findings: HLE was greater for whites than


for blacks in all states and Washington, D.C., that had sufficient data, except Nevada and New Mexico.


HLE for males at age 65 years


varied between a low of 10.1 years in Mississippi and a high of 15.0 years in Hawaii.


HLE for females at age 65 years


varied between a low of 11.4 years in Mississippi and a high of 17.3 years in Hawaii.


HLE estimates can predict future


health service needs, evaluate health programs, and identify trends and inequalities. Furthermore, examining HLE as a percent of life expectancy can reveal populations that might be enduring illness or disability for years. Public health officials, health care providers, and policymakers can use HLE to monitor and understand the health status of a population.


CBCF Statement on Passing of William H. Gray III


The Congressional Black Caucus


Foundation, Inc. (CBCF) is deeply saddened by the passing of former Rep. William H. Gray, III of Pennsylvania. Rep. Gray was a man of conviction. Throughout his career he gave voice to thousands of every day citizens, his congregation and students enrolled in HBCU's, and did so in a manner which elevated issues such as apartheid, and funding inequities in education resources to become predominate discussions across America and around the world.


Elected to Congress in 1978, Rep.


Gray was the first African American to chair the House Budget Committee and also the first African American to serve as House Majority Whip. In 1985 he introduced a bill to prohibit loans and new investments in South Africa and enforced sanctions on imports and exports within the nation, serving as a major precursor to the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act. "His dedicated leadership benefitted the African diaspora," said CBCF Chairman Rep. Chaka Fattah.


Rep. Gray kept his commitment


to serving the American people long after leaving the halls of Congress. In addition to serving with distinction as pastor at Bright Hope Baptist Church for 36 years in Philadelphia, Rep. Gray served as the president/chief executive officer of the United Negro College


Fund from 1991-2004, before founding Gray Global Advisors, LLC. His life's work focused on middle class and under-served Americans.


"His counsel and advice to


the CBCF leadership will be sorely missed," said A. Shuanise Washington, CBCF president and chief executive officer. "His commitment to educating young people is a cornerstone of our mission and was Bill's passion."


We extend our sincere condolences


and most heartfelt prayers to Rep. Gray's family, including his son Justin who is a member of our Corporate Advisory Council and has been a strong supporter of the Foundation and its mission to develop the next generation of leaders by increasing educational opportunities.


Highest in Hawaii, Lowest in Mississippi Residents of the South


www.hamptonroadsmessenger.com


The Hampton Roads Messenger


5


Undocumented Students Protest Napolitano as New UC President


BY ASHA DUMONTHIER SAN FRANCISCO -- Janet


Napolitano became the new president of the University of California last month over objections of student protesters. Six students were removed by campus police from the Board of Regents meeting where Napolitano’s appointment was confirmed.


The former U.S. Secretary of


Homeland Security will be the first woman president of the 10-campus UC system and will earn $570,000 per year in her new position. Shortly after Napolitano’s compensation was read at the public meeting, a UC student stepped forward from the audience and started the chant, “Education, not deportation!” Campus police escorted four other students out shortly after when they refused to leave the room.


About 60 students, parents,


faculty and staff representing UC Merced, Berkeley, Santa Cruz and other campuses protested outside the meeting to show their disappointment with Napolitano’s nomination.


As Secretary of Homeland


Security, Napolitano oversaw a record number of deportations under the Obama administration, about 400,000 undocumented immigrants per year.


Undocumented student protesters


said they were concerned about what her appointment could mean for students like them.


“She’s separated a lot of families,”


said Wei Lee, an undocumented graduate of UC Santa Cruz, who noted that the UC system is home to many undocumented students. “We cannot allow someone like Janet Napolitano


Your Credit FROM PAGE 1


be interpreted as a sign that you have taken on more debt that you can handle. One option is to avoid closing unused accounts until you have paid down any large balances on another credit card.


Review your credit reports


regularly for errors or signs of identity theft. You are entitled to receive at least one free credit report every 12 months from each of the nation’s three main credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion). Start at www.annualcred- itreport.com or call 1-877-322-8228. If you find errors, contact the credit bureau directly. Also be cautious of other websites and services advertising “free” credit reports because these may be attempts to sell you something else or even scams to collect personal information.


“If possible, request your credit


report well before you apply for a loan to give you time to correct any


with her background and her experience to run this fine education system.”


Lee, who is ethnically Chinese


and was born and raised in Brazil, fell out of immigration status after being denied political asylum. He said that without the advocacy of his friends and community, he and his family would have been deported. Today, he is a part of the student group ASPIRE (Asian Students Promoting Immigrant Rights through Education) and says that the current immigration system “does not reflect American values.”


San Francisco State University


student Akiko Aspillaga held a pink sign that read, “This feminist opposes Napolitano’s appointment.”


“For somebody who justifies the


war, who militarizes not just our borders but our communities and separates our families… if those are her values, we don’t want her to be the lead of our education system,” said Aspillaga.


Lotus Yee Fong, whose son has


two UC degrees, expressed concern over Napolitano's credentials: “She is not an educator.”


Protesters also criticized the


timing of the appointment. Napolitano was nominated only a week before the public meeting, which they said left them little time to organize.


“It’s more or less a political coup,”


said UC Santa Cruz student Daniel Shubat, shaking his head. “They did it during the summer. It’s underhanded and we don’t have a say.”


Supporters are quick to point out


that Napolitano has also been criticized by Republicans who accuse her of being too soft on immigration enforcement.


inaccurate information,” said Evelyn Manley, an FDIC Senior Consumer Affairs Specialist.


There also are “specialty” credit


bureaus that, for example, track a person’s history of handling a checking account. For information on your right to see and correct these companies’ reports, visit the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Web site at www.consumerfinance. gov/blog/you-have-a-right-to-see-spe- cialty-consumer-reports-too.


If you have a complaint that you


can’t resolve with either the credit bureau or the company that provided the information to the credit bureau, report it to the CFPB (help.consumer- finance.gov/app/creditreporting/ask or call 1-855-411-2372). And if identity theft is suspected — perhaps your credit report says there have been loans taken out in your name and you don’t recognize them — follow the steps recommended by the FTC at www. consumer.ftc.gov/features/feature- 0014-identity-theft.


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