Young adults in some parts of the state are more likely to not have access to health care, according to a new report from DataHaven, a nonprofit.
Overall, nearly one in four young adults in Hartford experience anxiety and depression, according to the study conducted across Greater Hartford. But they may not be getting the care they need, said Mark Abraham, executive director at DataHaven.
“Younger adults in the region may be new to getting care on their own, they may have jobs less likely to provide insurance through their employer,” Abraham said.
Even if some younger people in the region had health insurance, Abraham said it may not be adequate.
“That coverage might not cover health needs like mental health services as well as it does for older adults,” he said.
Data also showed that in the wider service area, the highest rates of diabetes were among Black residents and Latino residents. Asthma was most prevalent among young people. The study found 18- to 34-year-olds have an average rate of 17%, with Latino residents having a rate of 21%.
Rising costs were also impacting vulnerable families.
“Particularly for families with children, we see food insecurity rates at an all-time high,” Abraham said. “As housing costs rise, we see families with children reporting much higher levels of running out of money for food.”
The study was conducted on people living in 29 towns served by the nonprofit Greater Hartford Gives. The organization distributes funds to nonprofits throughout Greater Hartford and its service area is made up of more than 750,000 residents.
Kate Szczerbacki, the group’s director of learning, evaluation and capacity building, said the report brings together publicly available data alongside insights from the DataHaven Community Wellbeing Survey. Those insights capture residents’ lived experiences through in-depth phone interviews.
“Those perspectives are not available anywhere else, and they enhance our understanding of community strengths and where more attention is needed,” she said. “This report is an important resource for grounding our decisions in the experience of the people who live in Greater Hartford.”
