[Excerpt of WNPR radio story by Sujata Srinivasan, July 24, 2024]
Bloomfield-based Cigna Health Group launched a health equity fund that plans to invest $9 million in communities nationally over the next three years, starting with Hartford.
In Hartford, more than a quarter of residents surveyed had asthma. Between 2017 and 2021, Hartford averaged 53 days per year of “poor” air quality or worse.
Thirty miles away, during that same period, the town of Stafford averaged “poor” air quality 28 days per year.
Black babies in Hartford had lower birth weight; and a quarter of residents had delayed seeking medical care, according to DataHaven.
Cigna aims to narrow the gap for Black and Hispanic adults by expanding access to health care providers and by increasing transportation access to attend health visits.
“Health equity is attained when every person has the opportunity to achieve their fullest health potential, regardless of economic, environmental, physical, or social circumstances,” said Melissa Skottegaard, board chair of the Cigna Group Foundation.
“We know that 80% of a person’s health is affected by things outside of the doctor’s office, and we are dedicated to ensuring those who are underserved right here in Hartford have access to the things they need to be healthy.”
