Skip to main content
Connecticut
  • Our Focus
    • Coverage and Access
    • Improve Care Delivery
    • Linking Care to Community
    • Advocacy and Leadership
  • What We Do
    • Health Policy
    • Community Leadership
    • Grantmaking
  • Publications
    • Publication Library
    • A Guide To
  • Latest News
    • Blog Posts
    • Grantee Spotlights
    • Health News Roundup
    • News Releases
  • About Us
    • Our Team
    • Our Story
    • Event Sponsorship
    • Financials and Evaluations
    • Job Board
    • Contact Us
  • Our Focus

    We envision a Connecticut where everyone—regardless of race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status—can achieve optimal health. To make this a reality, we focus on four areas that are critical to ensuring that the next generation will not face the same persistent racial and ethnic health disparities.

    More
    • Coverage and Access
    • Improve Care Delivery
    • Linking Care to Community
    • Advocacy and Leadership
  • What We Do

    Change comes from many different approaches. It can be through a grant that identifies a new way to deliver care, policy research that identifies a solution to a pressing problem, or leadership that fosters change.

    More
    • Health Policy
    • Community Leadership
    • Grantmaking
  • Publications

    Our publications are focused on identifying solutions to complex problems. Browse our library to discover research and commentary that are changing systems in Connecticut and across the country.

    More
    • Publication Library
      • Briefs and Reports
      • Resources and Fact Sheets
      • Infographics
      • Videos
    • A Guide To
      • Understanding Community Health Workers
      • Health Disparities in CT
      • Health Care Coverage in CT
  • Latest News

    Inequities are a huge part of the story of health care in Connecticut. We strive to be a key resource in helping people understand and explore the complex health care system, the disparities that exist, and potential solutions.

    More
    • Blog Posts
    • Grantee Spotlights
    • Health News Roundup
    • News Releases
  • About Us

    We focus on improving health outcomes for people of color and ensuring that all Connecticut residents have access to affordable and high-quality care. Through public policy, grantmaking, and leadership development, we work to make lasting changes that improve lives.

    More
    • Our Team
    • Our Story
    • Event Sponsorship
    • Financials and Evaluations
    • Job Board
    • Contact Us
Stay Connected

Get our newsletter and connect with us on social media

Subscribe for Updates
  • Why We Focus On Health Equity
  • Search Our Grants
  • Our Focus
    • Coverage and Access
    • Improve Care Delivery
    • Linking Care to Community
    • Advocacy and Leadership
  • What We Do
    • Health Policy
    • Community Leadership
    • Grantmaking
  • Publications
    • Publication Library
      • Briefs and Reports
      • Resources and Fact Sheets
      • Infographics
      • Videos
    • A Guide To
      • Understanding Community Health Workers
      • Health Disparities in CT
      • Health Care Coverage in CT
  • Latest News
    • Blog Posts
    • Grantee Spotlights
    • Health News Roundup
    • News Releases
  • About Us
    • Our Team
    • Our Story
    • Event Sponsorship
    • Financials and Evaluations
    • Job Board
    • Contact Us

Topic Guides

Health Disparities

Overall, Connecticut is one of the healthiest states in the country, but a closer look at the data shows a more troubling picture.

Compared to their white counterparts, Black and Hispanic Connecticut residents are more likely to live in poorer health and, for Black residents, to die younger. Yet these disparities are not inevitable and they are not intractable. There are ways to reduce and even eliminate these disparities.

Health Disparities in Connecticut

Racial and ethnic health disparities are pervasive in Connecticut and across the country.

Report

Health Disparities in CT: Causes, Effects, and What We Can Do

This report includes data on health disparities and details on the causes and costs of disparities, an example of how one state eliminated a major disparity, as well as recommendations for CT.

Graphics

Health Disparities Shareable Graphics

People of color in Connecticut are more likely to live in poor health and – for black residents – to die younger. Start the conversation about health disparities and what we can do by sharing these graphics on social media.

Infographic

Creating a clearer path to better health

For many, staying healthy is part of our routine. For others, particularly people of color, there are more hurdles to getting and staying healthy.

By the Numbers

Black and Hispanic residents have poorer health outcomes than white residents, including higher rates of asthma, diabetes, cancer, and infant mortality. These fact sheets include the most recent data on several conditions.

Fact Sheet

Asthma

Asthma is a chronic condition that disproportionately affects people of color in Connecticut.

Fact Sheet

Cancer

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in Connecticut and takes a disproportionate toll on Black and Hispanic state residents.

Fact Sheet

Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects nearly one in 10 adults in Connecticut, but has disproportionately devastating effects on Black and Hispanic residents.

Fact Sheet

Infant and Maternal Mortality

Some of the biggest health disparities exist in infant and maternal health. For example, babies born to Black women are significantly more likely to die before turning one than babies born to white women.

Causes, Costs and Solutions

Health disparities have many causes, including unequal access to health care and other resources needed to stay healthy, unequal treatment within health care, and the physical and mental health consequences of experiencing racism and discrimination. While these are longstanding problems, they are not intractable. There are ways to reduce and even eliminate disparities.

Fact Sheet

Causes: Why do disparities exist?

Racial and ethnic health disparities have many causes. These include unequal access to health care and other resources that influence health, as well as unequal treatment within the health care system and the psychological and physiological effects of racism.

Fact Sheet

Costs: Financial Impact of Racial & Ethnic Health Disparities in CT

Health disparities are costly. This analysis for the CT Department of Public Health quantifies the economic impact of racial and ethnic health disparities based on hospital costs.

Fact Sheet

Solutions: What can we do about disparities?

Racial and ethnic health disparities are longstanding problems in Connecticut, but they are not inevitable. There are steps the state, health systems, and others can take right now to reduce or eliminate these disparities. Here are four steps Connecticut can take.

Research on Disparities

Report

Urban Institute analysis of the ACA’s impact on Connecticut

This analysis by the Urban Institute examines the impact of the Affordable Care Act on Connecticut, including its role in expanding access to coverage for Black and Hispanic residents.

Infographic

Successfully Reducing Dental Access Disparities for Husky A-Insured Children: 2006 – 2012

An example of reducing a major health disparity, Connecticut’s dramatic improvement in access to oral health care for children from low-income families is detailed in this infographic.

Report

The CT Report Card on Health Equity Among Men & Boys of Color

This report by the Health Disparities Institute at UConn Health focuses on men and boys of color, with data on topics including health insurance, preventive health screenings, cancer disparities, behavioral health, life expectancy, and mortality rates.

Report

Towards Health Equity in Connecticut: The Role of Social Inequality & the Impact of COVID-19

This report by DataHaven examines how various groups are affected by factors including education, housing, and health care coverage, and discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The report also includes an analysis of local data by race and ethnicity.

Topic Guides
  • Community Health Workers
  • Health Care Coverage in Connecticut
  • Health Disparities
See our full publication library
  • Contact Us
  • Directions & Parking
  • Event Sponsorship
  • Search Our Grants
  • Online Community Standards
Connecticut Health Foundation 100 Pearl Street, Hartford, CT 06103
P: 860-724-1580 // F: 860-724-1589
  • Photo Copyright
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Sitemap
Stay Connected

Get our newsletter and connect with us on social media

Subscribe for Updates

Site by Vermilion