Black Health Profile
Black health in Kentucky
376,415
Black residents (ACS)
8.40%
Of state population
Kentucky has about 376,000 Black residents. Kentucky adopted Medicaid expansion in 2014 under Governor Beshear's first term, resulting in one of the largest documented drops in the state uninsured rate in the nation. The University of Louisville Health and UK Markey Cancer Center anchor Black-health research in the state.
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: 376,415 (8.4% 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 Kentucky die from pregnancy-related causes at 34.2 per 100,000 live births — 1.8× the US national rate of 19.
Read the maternal mortality breakdown
infant mortality
Black infants in Kentucky die before age one at 10.7 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 Kentucky: 363.8 deaths per 100,000 (CDC WONDER, ICD-10 I00-I99).
Read the cardiovascular mortality breakdown
diabetes prevalence
15.7% of Black adults in Kentucky 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 Kentucky: 28.4 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 Kentucky: 41.1 per 100,000 (CDC WONDER, ICD-10 C61).
Read the prostate cancer mortality breakdown
life expectancy
Life expectancy at birth for Black residents of Kentucky: 73.1 years (US all-race: 77.5).
Read the life expectancy breakdown
uninsured rate
6.8% of Black residents of Kentucky have no health insurance coverage — vs. a US all-race uninsured rate of 8%.
Read the uninsured rate breakdown
Medicaid coverage
About 34% of Black residents of Kentucky receive Medicaid coverage. Kentucky is a Medicaid expansion state.
Read the Medicaid coverage breakdown
mental health access
58.6% of Black adults in Kentucky who experienced a past-year mental health need reported not receiving the treatment they needed (SAMHSA N…
Read the mental health access breakdown
Policy context in Kentucky
Kentucky 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.
Find Black health providers & resources in Kentucky
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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