What does this score mean?

A score of 100 represents racial equity, meaning there are no racial disparities in the outcomes between black and white populations. The lower the Equity Score, the greater the disparity.

For Injury Hospitalization, a score of 100 – a score reflecting racial equity – would mean black and white residents are equally likely to be hospitalized as a result of bodily injury. It is important to note that for this indicator, equity is not our only goal; we also want to improve outcomes for all.

WHAT DOES THIS ANALYSIS MEAN?

Black residents of the region are twice as likely as white residents to be hospitalized due to injury. In the City of St. Louis, the likelihood of experiencing injury is nearly three times higher for black residents than for white residents, and 2.3 times higher for St. Louis County. In St. Clair County, black residents are 0.67 times more likely than white residents to experience hospitalization from injury, and in St. Charles County, black residents are about 1.3 times as likely to experience this outcome.

If injury rates were equitable, the number of injury hospital visits by black residents would have decreased by:

• 12,412 in the City of St. Louis,
• 382 in St. Charles County,
• 4,789 in St. Clair County, and
• 16,325 in St. Louis County.

Why Does Injury Hospitalization Matter?

Injury hospitalization is a broad category that includes medical events that could be the result of violent crime, pedestrian safety, work accidents, and drug abuse. They can signal a lack of investment in pedestrian infrastructure and public safety for minority neighborhoods. For black residents in St. Louis, the data suggests that simple activities like walking down the street are more dangerous than they are for white residents. Increasing access to quality resources and amenities, including safe jobs, schools, and parks, would reduce the threat of injury for all residents.

Which Calls to Action from the Ferguson Commission’s report are linked with this indicator?

While the Ferguson Commission’s report did not explicitly call out inpatient hospitalizations from injuries, this indicator is related to their call to action to:

• Build Safe Neighborhoods

Questions for Further Investigation:

• Why is there a racial disparity in Injury Hospitalization?
• What can St. Louis do to reduce racial disparities in Injury Hospitalization?
• What initiatives are currently underway to reduce racial disparities in Injury Hospitalization?

Injury Hospitalization Data