Before she reaches her first birthday, a black child in Minnesota is more than twice as likely to die as a white child.

An American Indian high school student is twice as likely to have suicidal thoughts as his white classmate.

And Hispanic Minnesotans are three times as likely to be uninsured as their white neighbors.

These and other stark racial gaps in the health of Minnesotans are documented in a new report prepared for the Legislature, with health officials warning Friday that Minnesota must tackle deep-seated problems if it is to close what are some of the widest racial health disparities in the nation. READ MORE

Published in the Star Tribune Jan. 31, 2014