RB5_3-Health-and-Healthcare-Disparities-in-Illinois-Metro-vs-Nonmetro
This paper addresses the question, “What is the status of health and healthcare disparities in Illinois” using data from
three sources: American Community Survey, 2017-2021; Health Cost & Utilization Project, 2018-2020, and Behavioral
Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), 2021. Data analysis suggests that health disparities exist in Illinois –
affordability, or the inability to pay the doctor, has prevented a majority of the Hispanics in the nonmetro from seeing
a doctor in the past 12 months. The largest potential for improvement in minority health lies in behavioral risk
factors, smoking and lack of exercise.