As Milwaukee continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, the environment around us shapes how long and how happy our lives are.
That's according to the community health assessment published this month by Milwaukee's Health Department.
This assessment found that the city's average life expectancy has been rising since the pandemic, when it hit a low of 72.2 years. Most recent data finds that life expectancy for women is 77.9 years. Life expectancy for men in Milwaukee is 70.2 years. The average is 74.1 years.
To put together this report, the health department collected 3,400 community surveys, conducted 46 interviews and held 14 focus groups to hear from residents. It uses data from 2023.
Health department officials are now sharing the report with hospitals, nonprofit groups and other city departments in hopes that they'll use the updated data to create programs and policies to make Milwaukee healthier.
Dominique Hyatt-Oates is the deputy commissioner of the health department's policy, innovation and equity division. She oversees the department that compiled the assessment as well as the teams managing public health strategy and Milwaukee's fetal infant mortality initiative.
"This gives us all an opportunity to be public health providers," Hyatt-Oates says. "[This report] provides information and an opportunity for everyone to get involved and collaborate. And it's going to take all of us to be able to do this work, to see improvements in our community's health."
Here are five major takeaways from the report:
1. Overdoses are driving deaths
The assessment found that unintentional overdoses now account for nearly 20% of all years of life lost in our city.
Each overdose in Milwaukee shortened a life by about 27 years on average.
2. Black mothers and children still face the most health challenges
The report points out that Milwaukee’s infant mortality rate is not just slightly higher for Black children, but that Black infants make up most of infant deaths.
Although Black babies account for about 38% of births in Milwaukee, they represent two-thirds of all infant deaths.
3. Homicides are falling, but still the sixth most common cause of death in Milwaukee
Milwaukee is seeing falling rates of homicide. In 2023, the health department counted 155 homicides, down from 215 in 2022.
But the health department still considers homicide and firearm deaths a public health concern.
"When people are dying in Milwaukee, it is a public health issue," says Ali Tahler-Reed, director of the health department's data and evaluation team. "We always like to look at the root cause of why these things are happening... is it where the person lives? Is it their neighborhood? Is it their housing? Is it their mental health?"
Firearm homicides accounted for about 10% of all years lost when someone in Milwaukee died before 75. There was an average of 44 years lost per person.
4. Housing matters more than you think when it comes to your health
In focus groups, people described mold, fire hazards and fear of eviction as constant stressors that affect both their physical and mental health.
"I automatically think about housing as a public health issue," Tahler-Reed says.
She points to housing risks such as lead paint, which when ingested in the form of chips or dust can cause developmental delays among children. Around 85% of housing units in Milwaukee were built before lead paint was banned in 1978.
5. Accessing health care is difficult, even for those who are insured
The report found that 15% of adults reported that they do not have a regular healthcare provider.
That's despite the fact that about 40% of residents have health insurance through an employer, and a similar number rely on Medicaid or Medicare, according to the report.
Tahler-Reed says that long wait times at doctor's offices and lack of understanding of the healthcare system continue to be barriers for Milwaukeeans seeking preventative care.
Katherine Kokal is the education reporter at 89.7 WUWM - Milwaukee's NPR. Have a question about schools or an education story idea? You can reach her at kokal@uwm.edu
