COMMUNITY HEALTH
Community Health metrics tell us about the health of the people living in the district as a whole. These are our “north star” metrics, guiding us toward the ultimate goal of seeing the people in the district living lives that are as long and as healthy as those of any other Indianapolis community. The three metrics discussed in the Community Health category will take time to change. In fact, we think of these three metrics as long-term goals but will be keeping watch on them as the district develops and changes.
LIFE EXPECTANCY
What is Life Expectancy? Life expectancy is more than a number—it captures the many factors that shape health: access to affordable housing, quality education, stable jobs, nutritious food, clean air, and healthcare. It’s a powerful measure of overall wellness, and tracking it helps us understand where we need to focus to make real, lasting change.
Life expectancy at birth is the average length of life—or average lifespan—for people who live in a certain place and time. It is a prediction that is based on how long residents of that community have lived in the past. Because it is the average length of life, it is important to realize that some individuals will live much longer—well into their 90s—while some will live shorter lives. People living within the district have an average lifespan of 67 years. This is more than 6 years shorter than residents of Marion County overall, and more than a decade less than residents of many suburbs of the Indy Metro area.
Main Takeaways
In all time periods reported, life expectancy in the district is years lower than for residents of Marion County and the state of Indiana overall.
Life expectancy in the district and the county has dropped since 2020, likely due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The life expectancy gap between the district and Marion County increased in 2023 to 6.5 years.
Why Does Life Expectancy Matter?
Image used with permission. Source: Weathers TD, Kiehl NT, Colbert J, Nowlin M, Comer K, Staten LK. Worlds Further Apart: The Widening Gap in Life Expectancy among Communities of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Area. August 2021. Available at https://hdl.handle.net/1805/38536
Many other communities within the Indy metro have lifespans that are decades longer than the Indy Health District. The Indy Health District (marked in center of map with white outline) is among the lowest of all metro areas for life expectancy. This large gap in life expectancy tells a deeper story about the challenges our community faces every day. And it doesn’t have to be this way.
Monitoring life expectancy helps us stay on track, hold ourselves accountable, and measure progress over time. It’s not just about adding years to life; it’s about adding life to those years.
DID YOU KNOW?
Life expectancy for the whole of the United States surpassed the district’s current lifespan of 67 back in 1950—75 years ago. As life expectancy steadily increased for most residents of the U.S., some communities did not experience these gains.
Frequent Poor Physical and Mental Health Days
Health has many dimensions, including our physical, mental, and social well-being. Good health allows us to go about our daily lives without suffering and do what we set out to do. Below we show the percentage of people in the district whose physical or mental health is frequently poor—on 14 or more days of the past 30. This frequency of poor health is hampering their ability to live fully and enjoy a good quality of life.
Frequent Poor Physical Health Days: The percentage of adults who report having 14 or more days in the past 30 days of poor physical health, including illness and injury. This group of people is experiencing a substantial number of poor physical health days.
The goal is to see the number of people who report 14 or more poor physical health days in the last month decrease over time, achieving equity with others in the state and the nation.
PERCENT Reporting Poor Physical Health Days (2022)
Note: Areas outlined in black represent the district.
Poor Mental Health Days: The percentage of adults who report having 14 or more days in the past 30 days of poor mental health, including stress, depression, and problems with emotions. This group of people is experiencing a substantial number of poor mental health days.
The goal is to see the number of people who report 14 or more poor mental health days in the last month decrease over time, achieving equity with others in the state and the nation.
PERCENT Reporting Poor MENTAL Health Days (2022)
DID YOU KNOW?
One in five people with mental illness in Indiana do not receive the mental health care they need, and those with mental illness are more likely to suffer from long-term physical health problems such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. [Read more]