Data Graphics

New data analysis from HPIO has found that Ohioans in rural areas face greater challenges to accessing health care providers than the state overall. As illustrated above, rural counties have a lower rate of primary care, dental and mental health providers per capita than the state overall. And the bottom 10 counties for provider rates in all three categories are rural or partially rural counties.

Health is closely tied to the communities in which an individual lives, works and plays and ensuring access to medical services in rural areas can significantly improve health outcomes and reduce disparities.

On Wednesday Aug. 21, HPIO is hosting a free webinar titled "Spotlight on Rural Health: Innovative Solutions for Equity and Access.” The webinar will highlight rural healthcare infrastructure, access and health disparities. Speakers will explore unique health equity challenges in a rural context, how policy change can address challenges in rural healthcare access, and strategies for local and state policymakers to address workforce and specialist shortages in rural areas.

July is Disability Pride Month, and new analysis from HPIO found that more than 1 in 3 Ohio adults (2,791,694) have a disability. This diverse group encompasses Ohioans from all backgrounds and regions of the state.

Many Ohioans will experience one or more disabilities during their lifetimes, and people with disabilities continue to face barriers that can limit their ability to thrive. Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Urban Institute has found that experiences of discrimination and social isolation, as well as unequal access to employment opportunities and affordable health care can take a mental and physical toll on people with disabilities.

As illustrated above, 41% of Ohioans with disabilities experience frequent mental distress (14 or more mentally unhealthy days in the past 30 days), compared with 11% of Ohioans without disabilities. If that disparity was eliminated, 653,479 fewer Ohioans with disabilities would experience frequent mental distress.

Disability Pride Month happens every July to increase visibility and combat stigma faced by members of the disability community. It also marks the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, landmark legislation passed 34 years ago today on July 26, 1990, that broke down barriers to inclusion. To close gaps in outcomes for Ohioans with disabilities, HPIO’s 2024 Health Value Dashboard highlights the importance of strengthening enforcement of civil rights protections and improving accessibility in employment and healthcare settings.

July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month and Ohio data shows that Black and Hispanic Ohioans experience more mental distress than the state overall and are also more likely to face challenges in obtaining needed mental health care.

According to 2021 data from the Ohio Medicaid Assessment Survey (OMAS), 12.3% of Hispanic adults in Ohio and 10.7% of Black adults in Ohio reporting feeling mentally distressed in 14 or more days over the past month, compared to the overall state rate of 8.2%, as illustrated above. That equals more than 110,000 Black Ohioans and more than 35,000 Hispanic Ohioans reporting frequent mental distress.

Although a large number of Ohioans of color face mental health challenges, many are not getting the care they need. According to OMAS , 11.7% of Hispanic Ohioans (more than 31,000) and 10.2% of Black Ohioans (more than 98,000) had unmet mental health need in the past 12 months, compared to the state overall (7.5%).

According to the equity profiles included in HPIO’s 2024 Health Value Dashboard, “racism is a primary driver of poor outcomes” experienced by both Black and Latino Ohioans.

The Dashboard found that “Increasing trust and engagement between policymakers and members of Black and Latino communities, increasing provider diversity and cultural humility skill development and providing equitable access to financing and employment opportunities can close gaps in outcomes” for Black and Latino Ohioans.

The Health Policy Institute of Ohio has released a new brief titled “Criminal Justice and Health: Social Drivers of Violent Crime.”

The latest in a series of publications on the link between criminal justice and health, the brief includes:

• Data and information on the structural and social drivers of violence, including racism, income inequality, neighborhood planning, gendered social norms, education and employment, health care, housing and criminal justice.
• Recently passed or proposed state-level policy changes that may have an impact on community violence.
• A set of evidence-informed policy recommendations and implementation examples that Ohio can leverage to drive improvement.

Ohio ranks 34th in the nation in homicide deaths. Like national trends, homicide in Ohio peaked during the COVID-19 pandemic, but has not returned to pre-pandemic rates, as illustrated above.

“Even with laws and penalties such as arrest and incarceration in place, violent crime persists and causes significant harm to victims and communities,” the report states. “Community conditions and societal structures can support or prevent violent crime. Since the research evidence is clear that arrests and incarceration are detrimental to the health of individuals, families and communities, it is important to take an upstream approach for violence prevention.”

Last month, HPIO has released a new publication titled “2024 Health Value Dashboard Data Brief: What’s Driving the Trend on Early Death?”

Using data from the 2024 Health Value Dashboard, the brief explores the experiences and environments that lead to deaths among working-age Ohioans (ages 15-64) and provides a set of policies to drive improvement.

Previous HPIO analysis of death trends among working-age Ohioans found that Ohioans between the ages of 15 and 64 are dying at a much higher rate than they were 15 years ago. As illustrated above, Cancer is the only leading cause of death that decreased for this age group since 2007. Unintentional injuries, including unintentional drug overdoses and motor vehicle crashes, increased the most over the last 15 years among the leading causes of death.

Data from the recently released 2024 Dashboard shows four factors that are driving this trend:

• Addiction and overdose
• Alcohol overuse
• Tobacco use
• Violence and firearms

The Health Policy Institute of Ohio has released a new brief titled, “Taking Action to Prevent Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in Ohio.”

The brief is a summary of the information and resources available through HPIO’s Ohio ACEs Impact Project. It also includes guidance for local and state partners working to elevate ACEs prevention policies or program interventions.

In addition to the policy brief, HPIO has also created standalone resources with guidance on choosing ACEs prevention strategies, coalition-building and advocacy.

Since 2020, the Health Policy Institute of Ohio (HPIO) has researched and analyzed adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and what Ohio can do to address them. HPIO analysis elevated 12 evidence-informed and cost-effective ACEs prevention strategies for public and private partners at the state and local level, as illustrated above. These represent a comprehensive and strategic approach to preventing ACEs in Ohio.