Black Health

Black Health Profile

Black health in Arizona

363,210

Black residents (ACS)

5.00%

Of state population

Arizona has about 363,000 Black residents. Arizona expanded Medicaid in 2014 and the state's Medicaid program AHCCCS covers certified nurse-midwife deliveries and 12-month postpartum care. The primary Black-health policy debate in the state focuses on the Maricopa County obstetric workforce shortage.

The largest Black health disparity tracked on these pages varies by metric. Use the ten topic pages below to see each one cited against the state's primary-source dataset.

On the positive side, every US state now has CDC-funded maternal mortality review committees, and most have at least one HRSA-designated federally qualified health center serving low-income Black residents. The ten facet pages below point to state-specific programs and providers.

Key takeaways

  • Black residents: 363,210 (5.0% of the state).
  • Medicaid expansion adopted.
  • Medicaid does not cover doula services.
  • Certified nurse-midwife scope-of-practice recognized by Medicaid.
  • 12-month postpartum Medicaid extension active.

Health outcomes & coverage

Ten race-stratified indicators drawn from CDC, Census, KFF, and SAMHSA primary sources. Each page links the underlying dataset, compares to the national average, and frames the state-specific drivers and policy levers.

maternal mortality

Black women in Arizona die from pregnancy-related causes at 26.1 per 100,000 live births — 1.4× the US national rate of 19.

Read the maternal mortality breakdown

infant mortality

Black infants in Arizona die before age one at 11.8 per 1,000 live births — compared to the US all-race rate of 5.4.

Read the infant mortality breakdown

cardiovascular mortality

Age-adjusted cardiovascular mortality among Black residents of Arizona: 320.5 deaths per 100,000 (CDC WONDER, ICD-10 I00-I99).

Read the cardiovascular mortality breakdown

diabetes prevalence

14.9% of Black adults in Arizona have been diagnosed with diabetes — compared to the US all-race rate of 11.6%.

Read the diabetes prevalence breakdown

breast cancer mortality

Age-adjusted breast cancer mortality among Black women in Arizona: 26.4 per 100,000 (CDC WONDER, ICD-10 C50).

Read the breast cancer mortality breakdown

prostate cancer mortality

Age-adjusted prostate cancer mortality among Black men in Arizona: 34.9 per 100,000 (CDC WONDER, ICD-10 C61).

Read the prostate cancer mortality breakdown

life expectancy

Life expectancy at birth for Black residents of Arizona: 73.5 years (US all-race: 77.5).

Read the life expectancy breakdown

uninsured rate

12.3% of Black residents of Arizona have no health insurance coverage — vs. a US all-race uninsured rate of 8%.

Read the uninsured rate breakdown

Medicaid coverage

About 28% of Black residents of Arizona receive Medicaid coverage. Arizona is a Medicaid expansion state.

Read the Medicaid coverage breakdown

mental health access

58.9% of Black adults in Arizona who experienced a past-year mental health need reported not receiving the treatment they needed (SAMHSA NS…

Read the mental health access breakdown

Policy context in Arizona

Arizona has adopted Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act. Medicaid does not currently cover doula services. Postpartum Medicaid coverage extends for 12 months after delivery, the federal recommended standard.

Data sources & refresh cadence

  • US Census ACS 5-year 2019–2023, Table B02001 (race) & S1903 (income).
  • CDC WONDER Multiple Cause of Death (D69) & Underlying Cause of Death (D76), 2018–2022 release.
  • KFF Medicaid expansion and state coverage trackers, Q1 2026.
  • SAMHSA National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2022 state annual.
  • HRSA NHSC workforce data, 2024.

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