New England, particularly Connecticut, stands out for having significant racial and ethnic disparities in health care compared to white individuals, according to a recent study by the Commonwealth Fund. Despite Black people in Connecticut ranking fifth out of 39 states for overall health care outcomes, they still experienced huge racial gaps in health system performance.
The study found that Black individuals were more than twice as likely as white individuals to die before the age of 75 from treatable causes in Connecticut. Additionally, Black individuals aged 65 and older had nearly double the rate of potentially avoidable ER visits and hospital readmissions within 30 days compared to white individuals. The infant mortality rate for Black babies was over three times higher than that for white babies in the state.
In terms of insurance coverage, 16% of Hispanic individuals in Connecticut were uninsured, compared to only 4% of white individuals. On the other hand, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander populations in the state fared relatively well in terms of health outcomes compared to 31 other states. White individuals overall in Connecticut had some of the best health outcomes in the nation, ranking fourth in the study.
The study highlights significant disparities in health care outcomes and access faced by Black and Hispanic individuals in Connecticut and across the United States compared to white individuals. Targeted efforts are needed to improve health care access and outcomes for marginalized communities if we want to address these disparities effectively.