On 2015 Sep 25, David Mage commented:

Elder et al. do a thorough analysis of the possible causes of the Black-White infant mortality gap (B > W) and, per above, they show that if Black infants had the same risk factors as White infants then the gap between them would only be reduced by 25%. In our studies of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS: (ICD-9 798.0; ICD-10 R95) [PMID 20049339, 24164639] we noted this Black infant excess. Given that SIDS is a unique disease because death is its first symptom, the excess Black death rate could not involve a deficiency in medical care of the B infants presenting with SIDS. We then used the tabulated infant mortality statistics for all ICD chapter causes of infant dearth < 1 year, wonder.cdc.gov, and found that B > W for all causes except neoplasms (ICD-10: C00-D48). We wondered at what age this deficit seen in other non-neoplasm codes for infant mortality would disappear and looked at older age ranges up to 65 years. The deficit does not disappear (except for a few years where cystic fibrosis is much higher for W than B) and in each and every age group the B death rate is greater than the W death rate {some genetic reasons not withstanding, such as sickle cell anemia with B > W). We reason that this B > W excess must be systemic and agree with Haider [Racial and ethnic infant mortality gaps and socioeconomic status. Focus; 2014;31 (1) Spring/Summer:18-20] that the poverty of the B population relative to the W population may be the shadow cast by the past history of the Plessy v. Ferguson legal fiction that ʺseparate but equalʺ education was constitutional and would cause no harm. The lingering effect of this past discrimination may be insidious if it resulted in the relative impoverishment of many of those discriminated against and their progeny that delays or reduces their access to adequate medical care. For example, the U.S. death rates from ICD-10 causes of medical errors Y40-Y69, Drugs, medicaments and biological substances causing adverse effects in therapeutic use, and Misadventures to patients during surgery and medical care, are higher for B than W at all ages up to 84 years.

On 2015 Sep 25, David Mage commented:

Elder et al. do a thorough analysis of the possible causes of the Black-White infant mortality gap (B > W) and, per above, they show that if Black infants had the same risk factors as White infants then the gap between them would only be reduced by 25%. In our studies of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS: (ICD-9 798.0; ICD-10 R95) [PMID 20049339, 24164639] we noted this Black infant excess. Given that SIDS is a unique disease because death is its first symptom, the excess Black death rate could not involve a deficiency in medical care of the B infants presenting with SIDS. We then used the tabulated infant mortality statistics for all ICD chapter causes of infant dearth < 1 year, wonder.cdc.gov, and found that B > W for all causes except neoplasms (ICD-10: C00-D48). We wondered at what age this deficit seen in other non-neoplasm codes for infant mortality would disappear and looked at older age ranges up to 65 years. The deficit does not disappear (except for a few years where cystic fibrosis is much higher for W than B) and in each and every age group the B death rate is greater than the W death rate {some genetic reasons not withstanding, such as sickle cell anemia with B > W). We reason that this B > W excess must be systemic and agree with Haider [Racial and ethnic infant mortality gaps and socioeconomic status. Focus; 2014;31 (1) Spring/Summer:18-20] that the poverty of the B population relative to the W population may be the shadow cast by the past history of the Plessy v. Ferguson legal fiction that ʺseparate but equalʺ education was constitutional and would cause no harm. The lingering effect of this past discrimination may be insidious if it resulted in the relative impoverishment of many of those discriminated against and their progeny that delays or reduces their access to adequate medical care. For example, the U.S. death rates from ICD-10 causes of medical errors Y40-Y69, Drugs, medicaments and biological substances causing adverse effects in therapeutic use, and Misadventures to patients during surgery and medical care, are higher for B than W at all ages up to 84 years.