Special to IFN

RALEIGH — The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services has published the 2024 Health Disparities Analysis Report, which provides a comprehensive view of the effects of health disparities on health outcomes across the state and identifies opportunities for improvement and action.

“Every North Carolinian should have the opportunity to live a healthy life, but a health system that fails some, fails us all,” said N.C. Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley. “While Medicaid expansion and recent investments in behavioral health are critical pieces of this work, we must be intentional in uncovering and addressing the health gaps that exist for different communities.”

The Health Disparities Analysis Report focuses on six key topic areas:

♦ Health care access;
♦ Chronic disease mental health; substance use;
♦ Suicide and violence prevention;
♦ Communicable disease;
♦ Social drivers of health; and
♦ Health across the lifespan.

The report uses in-depth data to identify and analyze disparities across multiple population groups such as race and ethnicity, disability status and age. It also highlights corresponding strategies that can be used to address identified discrepancies between these groups.

“Reducing health disparities experienced by populations which have been historically marginalized is a huge task that requires partners from every single sector coming together to act,” said NCDHHS Deputy Secretary for Health Equity and Chief Health Equity Officer Debra Farrington. “Health disparities are shaped by historical, social, political and other underlying factors, and the first step toward reducing these gaps is to understand their root causes.

“This report is a critical document that allows our department and our partners to focus on the most severe disparities and strategically plan actions to reduce or eliminate them going forward,” she added.

The release of this report builds upon other key accomplishments and NCDHHS initiatives related to advance fair opportunities for health ensuring every North Carolinian has access to the care they need, when and where they need it.

In 2023 North Carolina began Medicaid Expansion, which will provide life-changing health care access to more than 600,000 uninsured and under-insured North Carolinians over the next two years. The department also celebrated a historic $835 million investment in behavioral health, focusing on crisis care, children and families and people involved in the justice system. Most recently, NCDHHS launched a Community and Partner Engagement Initiative, which amplifies the impact of engaging community members and partner organizations within NCDHHS systems, services, programs and policies.

LEARN MORE

To read the full report, visit the Office of Health Equity’s data webpage. If you or your organization is interested in getting involved with NCDHHS’ work to address health disparities, visit ncdhhs.gov/GetInvolved.