Why Black Women Outlive Black Men

In 2023, Vanderbilt University Medical Center reported that life expectancy is one of the best indicators of a population’s overall health.

Careful observation of the United States would reveal one striking pattern: Black women, on average, live way longer than Black men. I’m not just talking about a year or two; I am talking about several years, and in some data sets, it’s even close to a decade. For example, recent data shows that the average life expectancy for Black women is 77.6 years. In comparison, for Black men, it is 70.3 years, indicating a difference of 7.3 years.

The US National Center for Health Statistics reported in 2023 that the mortality rates are significantly higher among Black men than Black females. The rate for Black males was approximately 1,152 per 100,000, compared to about 754 per 100,000 for Black females—meaning nearly 400 more deaths per 100,000 among Black males.

Now, you might argue that females generally live longer than males. But have you, for example, compared Black and white males in the same report by the National Center for Health Statistics? Among the white population, the mortality gap is notably smaller—about 225 deaths per 100,000 (871 for white males versus 646 for white females).

The big “WHY” question you may be asking is: “Why do our sistas live longer?” or “Why do brothas die younger?” What social, economic, environmental, and health factors create such a persistent difference between the two?

The answer to these questions is very complex and has little to do with the biological makeup of our Black brothas rather, it has a lot to do with lived experience. To get to the bottom of this, we’ll need to look at multiple overlapping factors.

Factors Responsible for the High Difference in Life Expectancy

Different factors cause the high difference in life expectancy between Black women and Black men. It is the result of layered social realities, including:

1. Violence and higher mortality risk in young and middle-aged men.

Gun violence disproportionately impacts Blacks. The Center for American Progress and many other organizations have reported similar.

Other areas where Black men are disproportionately affected are:

Homicide
Assault related deaths

These issues have caused early death, mostly among Black males, which has impacted the life expectancy statistics. This lethal violence, which mostly happens in urban areas, is influenced by a mixture of factors like:

Neighborhood poverty and underinvestment
Systemic inequities in education and employment
Over-policing in certain communities
Higher exposure to violent environments

2. Incarceration and its long-term health effects.

Blacks are disproportionately incarcerated in the US. Even though we make up only 13% of the US population, the Federal Bureau of Prisons reports that about 38.4% of the incarcerated population is Black. Yearly, 1.99 million members of our community are arrested, and 48% of prisoners in life sentences without parole are Black, according to Prison Policy Initiative.

Meanwhile, according to Statista, of every 100000 Blacks, 1826 males are incarcerated, while incarcerated females are just 64.

These incarcerations affect Black males both directly and indirectly in several ways:

Exposure to violence and stress while incarcerated
Limited access to quality healthcare in correctional facilities
Higher risk of chronic illness after release
Increased mental health strain and trauma

Even after paying their dues in prison, many of our men face barriers to stable work, housing, and health care, which has a direct link to life expectancy.

3. Chronic stress and “weathering.”

Weathering, in this context, is the idea that chronic stress from racism, social disadvantage, and economic pressures causes biological aging. Stress has been known to affect the body and is intricately connected to blood pressure, diabetes, and other sicknesses.

Black men face economic pressure as primary providers, in addition to violence, racial abuse, and heightened surveillance and profiling. These have left many Black men looking far older than their age and, in many instances, have led to their untimely death.

4. Occupational and environmental risks.

Black men in the US are more likely to work in occupations that carry higher physical risk, like:

Logging
Military
Commercial fishing
Construction
Roofing
Refuse collection
Mining

These jobs can lead to a higher rate of injury, exposure to hazardous chemicals and materials, and limited long-term health coverage, some of which may lead to early death.

5. The role of gender expectations.

The Black culture has always put certain expectations on our men. As a Black man, you are expected to always show strength and not vulnerability, have emotional restraint, and be self-reliant.

While I admit that these traits are socially valued, many of our brothas have taken it to the extreme; they don’t:

Seek medical visits
Express emotion
Seek help during a crisis

All these accumulate throughout the lifetime of a Black man and greatly harm their health and eventually take their life.

It is important to note at this point that both Black males and females are affected by the factors mentioned here, and this has led to a high mortality rate when compared to other races. However, when comparing Black males and females, Black males suffer the most.

How to Close the Longevity Gap

If we must help the men in our community live longer, then the following must be done as a matter of urgency:

Invest in boys and young men
Reduce violence and community trauma
Make healthcare more easily accessible
Normalize going for therapy and mental health care
Address incarceration and reentry
Build stronger social support networks
Treat this as a public health issue, not a Black man’s failure

A wide longevity gap exists between Black women and men, mostly shaped by experiences and systems that affect us differently. Instead of accepting this trend, let’s work towards changing it. Elevate Black Health recommends that supporting Black men to seek care earlier, prioritize their mental health, choose safer career paths, and reduce high-risk behaviors can help shift the narrative.

It’s Older American Month, and, while we honor the resilience that Black women have shown over the years, we shouldn’t make longevity a gendered privilege. To ensure we all thrive, we need awareness and action from our communities, healthcare systems, religious institutions, and policymakers alike.