There’s an undeniable correlation between the state of one’s health and such things as financial security, neighborhood safety, level of education, and discrimination, to name just a few.  That’s why every three years a statewide survey asks dozens of questions of thousands of Connecticut residents. Who’s better off? Who’s struggling? And what conditions are causing the lack of a sense of well-being?
Some of the questions asked include: How happy are you? Have you see a dentist lately? Are local government officials responsive to your needs?
Who wants to know? Over 75 of the state’s hospitals, government agencies and charitable organizations will use the data to uncover gaps or barriers to health care and understand how they can improve well-being, especially for under-served/vulnerable individuals. We recently funded a grant to expand the survey of Middlesex County residents.
What are some of this year’s big headlines?
For the first time, the 2018 survey included questions about discrimination. “It’s been shown to have a large impact on people’s health, so it’s sort of this form of stress in society that translates into high blood pressure and other health conditions that it’s hard to capture that as a source in other ways,” Mark Abraham, executive director, DataHaven said.
Here’s a sampling of results related to discrimination:
Want to know more about what Connecticut residents are reporting about discrimination? Check out a recent article in the Connecticut Mirror. Want a closer look at the data? Read DataHaven’s initial report.