Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1542829
UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL AND NORTHEASTERN CONNECTICUT | 2025 COMMUNITY IMPACT REPORT | 19 ENDING POVERTY BY ADDRESSING SOCIAL DRIVERS OF HEALTH Life expectancy can vary by 20 years between North Hartford and parts of West Hartford. F ood insecurity, housing instability, transportation needs, difficulty paying utilities and interpersonal safety are factors that directly impact the health of people. Research shows that an estimated 20 percent of health outcomes are linked to medical care; the remaining 80 percent rely on socioeconomic, environmental and behavioral factors - identified as social drivers of health*. The 2025 Connecticut United Ways ALICE Report indicates that two out of five households in Connecticut are forced to make impossible choices as they struggle to afford health care in addition to the rising costs of rent, food, utilities, child care and transportation. We know that when people are hungry or lack stable housing, their health is negatively impacted - these are non-medical factors that largely influence outcomes such as life expectancy and chronic disease rates. As a part of United Way's strategic plan, the organization has mobilized strategic working groups comprised of nonprofit partners, community members with lived experience, health care institutions and other local leaders, all who are committed to taking collective action on reducing disparities in key areas related to ending poverty. One of these working groups is dedicated to exploring disparities in life expectancy.. Currently, our health and well-being working group is evaluating the state of social drivers of health in Hartford. As a first step, they created a landscape of existing hubs in Hartford and identified seven critical gaps that, if addressed, "we will be able to see real systemic change within community services The seven gaps identified are: • Consistent Sustainable Funding • Clear Role Definitions and Accountability • Resident Awareness and Rights Education • Service Integration Across Systems • Balanced Partnership Ecosystem • Infrastructure for Shared Services • Culturally Competent and Community Specific Services Now, this working group is evaluating and prioritizing these gaps, and next will work on developing strategies to address them. In addition, United Way is convening the three major hospital systems in Hartford to collaborate on collecting and sharing data, and developing plans that will increase their impact on the communities they serve. As a mobilizer in the 860 region, United Way remains focused on examining the systemic inequities and policy changes which are affecting the health and well-being of our communities. We are determined to make communities healthier regardless of their zip-code. *Source – Let's Get It Right: Consistent Measurement of the Drivers of Health coordination" – as expressed by one of the working group participants.