Issue link: https://blog.providence.org/i/1367404
10 An Equity Profile of Orange County: Summary Community health and safety risks disproportionately affect people of color Ensuring equitable growth includes ensuring all of the region's residents are safe and healthy. Levels of pollution exposure are higher in Orange County for nearly all groups than in California or the United States overall. While all communities face risks, data show that there are inequities and disparities when it comes to exposure and health outcomes. Data by race show that whites in Orange County have lower air pollution exposure than people of color. These data also show that neighborhoods with high concentrations of low-income families and people of color are more likely to be exposed to environmental hazards, putting them at higher risk for chronic diseases and premature death. Survey data show that communities of color throughout the region face greater health challenges. California Health Interview Survey data show that among all racial groups, Latinos are the most likely to lack a usual source of health care, view their health quality as fair or poor, and report experiencing serious psychological distress in the past year. The region's Latino population is also at a higher risk for being overweight or obese and having diabetes. Disaggregated health data for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders also show disparities. For example, Filipinos have a very high rate of diabetes (19.5 percent). One 2010 study also showed that Native Hawaiians in Southern California are at higher risk for diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease compared with other groups. 3 African Americans and Native Americans also have high levels of many negative health outcomes, including the highest incidences of heart disease mortality in Orange County. Communities of color face disproportional risks not only to their health but also their safety. For example, according to a 2017 report by the Human Relations Commission of Orange County, hate crimes targeting people of color have increased in the last few years. About 36 percent of hate crimes were motivated by race and ethnicity, 25 percent were motivated by religion, and 4 percent were motivated by sexual orientation. Muslim and Middle Eastern residents were the most frequently targeted communities for hate crimes in 2017 and crimes against these communities were higher than in recent years. People of color above the poverty level face a higher pollution burden than white people below the poverty level Air Pollution Exposure Index by Race/Ethnicity and Poverty Status, Cancer and Non-Cancer Risk, 2015 White People of color Sources: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2011 National Air Toxics Assessment; U.S. Census Bureau. Universe includes all persons not in group quarters. Note: While data on people by race/ethnicity and poverty status reflect a 2011 through 2015 average, data on air pollution are from 2011. See the "Data and methods" section in the full profile for details on the pollution exposure index calculations. 62 57 58 54 46 44 71 67 69 64 62 60 Below poverty Above poverty Below poverty Above poverty Below poverty Above poverty Orange County California United States