Health Disparities

Health disparities refer to those avoidable differences in health among specific population groups that result from cumulative social disadvantages. The Department of Public Health monitors health disparities as an essential part of reducing the disease burden on vulnerable populations in Connecticut, identifying high-risk groups, formulating health care policy, and evaluating our state’s progress in eliminating health disparities.

This Health Disparities Statistics and Research web page provides relevant information about health disparities in mortality, hospitalizations, birth outcomes, disease incidence, and risk factor prevalence for priority health disparities populations. Such priority population groups may be based on race, ethnicity, age, gender, socioeconomic position, immigrant status, sexual minority status, language, disability, homelessness, and geographic area of residence. The links below provide current information for publications, presentations, and data tables related to health disparities and health outcomes among Connecticut residents.

The Connecticut Health Disparities Project was a two-year cooperative agreement (2006-2008) generously supported by the Connecticut Health Foundation; its products and publications can be found by following the hyperlink.

Publications

Financial Impact of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities in Connecticut (Community, Family Health and Prevention Section; December 2018)

Connecticut Chronic Disease Surveillance Indicators (August 2012)

Connecticut Health Database Compendium (March 2012)

Mortality and Its Risk Factors in Connecticut (2005)

Connecticut Women’s Health (2001)

Multicultural Health: The Health Status of Minority Groups in Connecticut (1999)

Presentations

Quantifying the Potential Economic Benefits of Health Equity in Connecticut: Disparities in Hospital Charges and Costs among Blacks and Hispanics compared to Whites, 2005-2012 (poster was presented at the Keeneland Conference in Lexington, KY by the CFHP Section; April 21, 2015)

Cost of Disparities Analysis (for Connecticut) (April 2014)

Enhancing Data and Surveillance of Health Disparities (2013)

Moving Towards Health Equity in Connecticut (2013)

The Landscape of Health Disparities in Connecticut (2011)

Health Disparities in Connecticut: Current Surveillance Data (2008)

The Changing Meaning of Race in the Social Sciences: Some Implications for Research and Social Policy (2008)

Health Disparities in Connecticut: Current Surveillance Data (January 2005)

Road Map to Health (October 2004)

Connecticut Latinos: Lower Age-Adjusted Death but Higher Premature Mortality Rates Compared with White Residents (November 2004)

Issue Briefs/Fact Sheets

Racial and Ethnic Differences in Hospital Charges in Connecticut: Data Update - This data brief updates Quantifying the Potential Economic Benefits of Health Equity in Connecticut: Disparities in Hospital Charges and Costs among Blacks and Hispanics compared to Whites, 2005-2012, a poster presented at the Keeneland Conference in Lexington, Kentucky on April 21, 2015. (September 2016)

Estimating Total Excess Hospital Charges Due to Race and Ethnicity in Connecticut - July 2016: This summary describes an analysis conducted to quantify the disparity in hospital charges among non-Hispanic Black or African American and Hispanic or Latino Connecticut residents compared with non-Hispanic White residents.

Facts About Minority Health in Connecticut - April, 2013

Mortality Tables

Leading Causes of Death by Sex, Race, and Hispanic Ethnicity, 2006-2010

Please go to our Mortality Statistics page to view our current data on death counts; age-adjusted mortality and premature mortality rates; and mortality disparities by gender, race, and ethnicity.

Hospitalizations

By gender, race, and ethnicity; average length of stay; and median charges (all PDF).

2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008

2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001

For further information, please go to our Health Care Quality Reports page to view our current data about chronic disease hospitalization rates by gender, race, and ethnicity; average length of stay; and median charges.

Policies

Connecticut Department of Public Health Policy and Procedures for Collecting Sociodemographic Data (April 2017; the original policy, created in September 2008, can be viewed by following this link)

CT DPH Policy and Procedure for Communicating with Persons of Limited English Proficiency (October 2016)

Health Equity Policy and Procedures (August2016)

Non-Discrimination in the Provision of the Department of Public Health Programs and Services (July 2011)

National Reports

State Documentation of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities to Inform Strategic Action Report

(clicking on this link will redirect you to the H-CUP website)

This report focuses on providing information on approaches to using race/ethnicity data for reducing disparities in the quality of health and health care. It cites Connecticut as a leading state in the analysis of data and reporting on health disparities.

Health Disparity links for Connecticut

Connecticut Health Disparities Project

Connecticut Health Foundation

Connecticut Multicultural Health Partnership

CT Department of Public Health programs that focus on health disparities:

Asthma
Connecticut Tumor Registry

Diabetes Surveillance
Heart Disease and Stroke Surveillance

HIV/AIDS Surveillance

Maternal and Child Health Bureau

Office of Health Equity

Office of Refugee and Immigrant Health Program

   Sexually Transmitted Diseases
   Tuberculosis
   Health Professional Shortage Areas/Medically Underserved Areas/Populations