The Ladder
Study after study tell us that socioeconomic factors contribute more greatly to overall health than lack of access to healthcare. And few statistics are more powerful than the fact the zip code you live in is a better determinant of your life expectancy than your genetic code. When eight-and-a-half miles can result in a difference in life expectancy of more than 20 years, the local hospital’s quality of care is not at fault. Instead, the culprit is the lack of community wealth in the poorest neighborhoods.