HEALTH EQUITY: Scale of impact

Identifying areas where health equity is suffering most, and what it’s costing employers, are the first steps in addressing what employee populations might be up against. Health disparities by the numbers Throughout America, health disparities exist across key conditions that prevent oppressed and marginalized populations from receiving the care they need, causing and exacerbating a range of health issues. MATERNAL HEALTH 3X HIGHER Black mothers have 3x higher maternal mortality and 2x higher morbidity than white mothers.1 BEHAVIORAL HEALTH 55% LOWER Likely due to under-diagnosis, millennials from majority Black and Hispanic communities have lower diagnosis rates of major depression, 31% and 55% lower respectively when compared to white communities. 2 DIABETES 60% MORE Black adults are 60% more likely than non-Hispanic white adults to be diagnosed with diabetes.3 In 2017, non-Hispanic Black adults were 2.3x more likely to be hospitalized for lower limb amputations as compared to non-Hispanic white adults.4 CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH 70% MORE Black men are 70% more likely to die from a stroke as compared to non-Hispanic white men. 5 CANCER 14% HIGHER People with lower socioeconomic status (SES) which is approximated by a person’s education, economic or work status, have higher cancer death rates than those with higher SES. These gaps are widening and the largest gaps are seen in the most preventable cancers.6 Additionally, a recent CDC study found cancer death rates were 14% higher in rural areas compared with urban areas.7 COVID-19 2.5X MORE Among COVID-19 patients, Black and Hispanic Americans are more than 2.5x more likely to be hospitalized and 2x more likely to die than non-Hispanic white Americans.8 COVID-19 deaths are higher in areas with socioeconomic vulnerabilities like severe housing problems (4.5x higher) and unemployment (2.4x higher).9 Impact on the workplace Man talking with woman near a desk There is research that’s beginning to put numbers to what health disparities may be costing employers. The findings show that addressing health equity isn’t just better for employees—but also for businesses. MEDICAL CARE COSTS $93B LOST PRODUCTIVITY $42B eMagazine cover for Health Equity Crisis on iPad Mini Are health disparities impacting your workforce? Explore our latest mini-eMagazine to learn about the health equity crisis, its impact on both employees and businesses and actionable steps you can take.