ASHINGTON, March 9 (AP) - Middle-aged black men are dying at nearly twice the rate of white men of a similar age, reflecting lower incomes and poorer access to health care, a study has found.

While longevity for both blacks and whites has improved over the past 40 years, the gap between the races has narrowed little, Dr. David Satcher, a former surgeon general, said in a paper published in the journal Health Affairs.