Briefs and Reports

Improving Connecticut’s community health data

Overview

Why is it important for Connecticut policy- and decision-makers, businesses and other groups to understand that:

  • Diabetes is causing costly premature disability and death, and the percentage of adults affected varies by race, ethnicity and type of community
  • High-cost emergency room use is greater in some types of communities — even after factoring in race and ethnicity differences
  • Disabilities restricting a person’s ability to work are much higher in some types of communities

Key findings

  • Connecticut needs to make community health data more publicly available.
  • Community health data are collected by many state agencies but are not readily accessible in a customer/user-friendly format common to all.
  • Community health data need a single, easy-to-use, web-based entry point.