NCDHHS Releases New Health Disparities Analysis Report

Raleigh -- September 18, 2024: NCDHHS Press Release: NCDHHS Releases New Health Disparities Analysis Report,

HighlightsOpportunities for ImprovementNorth Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Releases New Health Disparities Analysis Report, Highlighting Opportunities for Improvement — Spanish version below The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today published the 2024 Health Disparities Analysis Report. The report offers a comprehensive view of the effects of health disparities on health outcomes across North Carolina and highlights opportunities for improvement and action.  

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today published the 2024 Health Disparities Analysis Report. The report offers a comprehensive view of the effects of health disparities on health outcomes across North Carolina and highlights 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 NC 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 illness 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."

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.

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 . 

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today released the 2024 Health Disparities Analysis Report. The report provides a comprehensive view of the impact of health disparities on health outcomes across North Carolina and highlights opportunities for improvement and action.

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

The Health Disparities Analysis Report focuses on six broad categories.  These categories are access to health care; chronic diseases; mental health, substance use, suicide and violence prevention; communicable diseases; social drivers of health; and health across the lifespan. The report uses detailed 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 the identified differences across these groups.

“Reducing health disparities for historically underserved populations is a massive undertaking that requires partners across all sectors to come together to take action,” said Debra Farrington, Deputy Secretary and Director of Health Equity for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS). “Health disparities are shaped by historical, social, political, and other underlying factors, and the first step in reducing these gaps is understanding 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 for steps to reduce or eliminate them moving forward.”

The release of this report builds on other key NCDHHS accomplishments and initiatives related to advancing fair opportunities for health, ensuring all North Carolinians have access to the care they need, when and where they need it. In 2023, North Carolina began  Medicaid Expansion, which will provide life-changing access to health care to more than 600,000 uninsured and underinsured 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 individuals involved in the justice system. Recently, NCDHHS launched a  Community Engagement and Community Partners Initiative, which amplifies the impact of community member and partner organization engagement in NCDHHS systems, services, programs, and policies. 

 Read the full report, visit the Office of Health Equity's data read the full report here  If you or your organization is interested in getting involved with NCDHHS' work to address health disparities, visit here

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