Health is more than healthcare
Health is so much more than what happens within the healthcare system. We know health outcomes do not rest solely on medical interventions, but also greatly depend on meeting basic human needs.
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) and the Brown University School of Public Health are proud to present the sixth annual RI Life Index, which captures Rhode Islanders’ perceptions of social determinants of health and well-being. For BCBSRI, the Index serves as a driver of our mission to create access to high quality care for all Rhode Islanders. We believe the Index will help us to build healthier communities throughout Rhode Island. This is our long-term commitment. We must continue to listen, learn and act.
Key Findings
In keeping with the goal of measuring certain social determinants of health year over year, we annually ask the same core group of questions that speak to quality of life and quality of community. Below you’ll see the complete list of questions that comprise the “index” of quality of life and quality of community. We use these questions to benchmark progress. In 2024 we can report on trends based on six years of collected data.
In addition to the continued decline in the overall score, there were drops overall in perceptions about quality of community, community life, affordable housing, cost of living, job opportunities, and access to nutritious food as well as experiences with food security.
However, the Index saw improved scores in 2024 in core cities related to perceptions about community life, programs and services for children, and healthcare access, with particular improvement in perceptions about healthcare access among Black and Latino/a residents. In fact, scores for Latino/a respondents rebounded in 2024 to 2020-2022 levels for all areas except perceptions about quality of community and cost of living, as well as experiences with food security.
RI Life Index
We show here a composite score of essential drivers of health and well-being as defined for the RI Life Index. The topic areas comprising the composite score focus on community life and quality of community elements, including affordable housing, quality education and good jobs. For all measures, we first display the scores from the random digit dial (RDD) survey conducted from March to early April of 2024. Further data can be viewed broken down by core city and non-core areas, race, and age. Clicking deeper you can view five years of trends for most measures as well as the survey questions with specific responses.
2024
RI LIFE INDEX
Topics include access to affordable housing, childcare and activities for youth, quality education, affordable and nutritious food, good jobs, medical care, programs for seniors, transportation services, feeling safe at home, and cost of living.
57
RI Life Index
LATINO/A
56
<55
57
Age 55+
BLACK
50
<55
56
Age 55+
WHITE
49
<55
57
Age 55+
58
LATINO/A
55
<55
61
Age 55+
BLACK
56
<55
59
Age 55+
WHITE
56
<55
61
Age 55+
Summary: Perceptions of Community
The report begins at the widest point of the lens, with summaries of perceptions of community that incorporate a range of social determinants of health, and quickly moves into a breakdown of those key factors. For all core measures, we first display the scores from the random digit dial (RDD) survey conducted from March to early April of 2024. Further data can be viewed broken down by core city and non-core areas, race, and age. Clicking deeper you can view five years of trends for most measures as well as the survey questions with specific responses.
PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNITY
QUALITY OF COMMUNITY
DEFINITION
Quality of community scoring represents a summary of how residents rate social and economic aspects of their community, including the following topics:
- Access to childcare
- Activities for youth
- Employment
- Access to affordable food
- Cost of living
- Availability and quality of services and programs for seniors
QUESTION WORDING: For each statement, tell me if that statement is completely descriptive, somewhat descriptive, not very descriptive, or not descriptive at all of your community.
51
Quality of Community
49
LATINO/A
49
<55
49
Age 55+
BLACK
45
<55
49
Age 55+
WHITE
45
<55
51
Age 55+
LATINO/A
50
<55
55
Age 55+
BLACK
48
<55
51
Age 55+
WHITE
50
<55
54
Age 55+
PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNITY
COMMUNITY LIFE
DEFINITION
Community life scoring represents a summary of how residents perceive the lived experiences of typical individuals in their community, in the following areas:
- Employment
- Education
- Convenient locations for nutritious food
- Access to affordable housing
- Access to healthcare
- Feeling safe at home
QUESTION WORDING: For each statement, please tell me how likely each is for a typical person living in your community: very likely; somewhat likely; somewhat unlikely; and very unlikely
65
Community
Life
LATINO/A
64
<55
67
Age 55+
BLACK
57
<55
64
Age 55+
WHITE
54
<55
65
Age 55+
67
LATINO/A
63
<55
69
Age 55+
BLACK
67
<55
70
Age 55+
WHITE
64
<55
69
Age 55+
Perceptions of Community: Vulnerable Residents
Here we show perceptions of Rhode Island's most vulnerable residents. For all measures, we first display the scores from the random digit dial (RDD) survey conducted from March to early April of 2024. Further data can be viewed broken down by core city and non-core areas, race, and age. Clicking deeper you can view five years of trends for most measures as well as the survey questions with specific responses.
PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNITY
CHILDREN
DEFINITION
How do residents rate programs and services available for children?
TOPICS: Place to raise children; access to quality education; activities for youth
71
Children
65
LATINO/A
68
<55
69
Age 55+
BLACK
62
<55
71
Age 55+
WHITE
60
<55
66
Age 55+
74
LATINO/A
69
<55
78
Age 55+
BLACK
68
<55
74
Age 55+
WHITE
71
<55
76
Age 55+
PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNITY
OLDER ADULTS
DEFINITION
How do residents rate the availability of services in their community for older adults?
TOPICS: Availability of special transportation services; availability of social and civic programs; quality of healthcare services;
64
Older Adults
62
LATINO/A
63
<55
61
Age 55+
BLACK
58
<55
65
Age 55+
WHITE
58
<55
67
Age 55+
65
LATINO/A
62
<55
66
Age 55+
BLACK
61
<55
66
Age 55+
WHITE
62
<55
69
Age 55+
Perceptions of Community: Social Determinants of Health
Here we show perceptions of specific social determinants of health. For all measures, we first display the scores from the random digit dial (RDD) survey conducted from March to early April of 2024. Further data can be viewed broken down by core city and non-core areas, race, and age. Clicking deeper you can view five years of trends for most measures as well as the survey questions with specific responses.
PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNITY
COST OF LIVING
DEFINITION
How do residents rate the cost of living in their community?
TOPICS: Affordable, high-quality childcare; cost of quality housing; difficulty paying for utilities
21
Cost of Living
21
LATINO/A
20
<55
20
Age 55+
BLACK
17
<55
15
Age 55+
WHITE
19
<55
22
Age 55+
22
LATINO/A
21
<55
18
Age 55+
BLACK
21
<55
16
Age 55+
WHITE
21
<55
21
Age 55+
PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNITY
HEALTHCARE ACCESS
DEFINITION
How do residents rate their ability to access healthcare?
TOPICS: Access to routine medical care; access to mental health or substance abuse treatment
68
Healthcare
Access
67
LATINO/A
69
<55
67
Age 55+
BLACK
62
<55
77
Age 55+
WHITE
62
<55
72
Age 55+
68
LATINO/A
65
<55
73
Age 55+
BLACK
70
<55
75
Age 55+
WHITE
65
<55
70
Age 55+
PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNITY
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
DEFINITION
How do residents rate access to affordable, quality housing?
TOPICS: Cost of housing; availability of affordable housing
31
Affordable
Housing
32
LATINO/A
35
<55
39
Age 55+
BLACK
28
<55
31
Age 55+
WHITE
26
<55
33
Age 55+
31
LATINO/A
27
<55
36
Age 55+
BLACK
32
<55
32
Age 55+
WHITE
29
<55
31
Age 55+
PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNITY
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
DEFINITION
How do residents rate job opportunities and job training programs?
TOPICS: Availability of jobs; employment with living wage; access to adult education
53
Job Opportunities
51
LATINO/A
53
<55
52
Age 55+
BLACK
46
<55
48
Age 55+
WHITE
47
<55
57
Age 55+
54
LATINO/A
49
<55
54
Age 55+
BLACK
49
<55
54
Age 55+
WHITE
51
<55
56
Age 55+
PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNITY
ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS FOOD
DEFINITION
How do residents rate access to affordable, nutritious food?
TOPICS: Access to nutritious affordable food; convenience of location of nutritious food
64
Access to
Nutritious
Food
60
LATINO/A
61
<55
66
Age 55+
BLACK
54
<55
64
Age 55+
WHITE
53
<55
63
Age 55+
66
LATINO/A
62
<55
81
Age 55+
BLACK
64
<55
72
Age 55+
WHITE
62
<55
69
Age 55+
Actual Experiences
Here we show data on the actual experiences of respondents regarding their food security. For all measures, we first display the scores from the random digit dial (RDD) survey conducted from March to early April of 2024. Further data can be viewed broken down by core city and non-core areas, race, and age. Clicking deeper you can view five years of trends for most measures as well as the survey questions with specific responses.
Actual Experiences
FOOD SECURITY
DEFINITION
How do residents rate their level of food security?
TOPICS: Worries about having enough food; financial ability to buy food
76
Food Security
69
LATINO/A
60
<55
49
Age 55+
BLACK
63
<55
64
Age 55+
WHITE
75
<55
76
Age 55+
80
LATINO/A
67
<55
70
Age 55+
BLACK
74
<55
82
Age 55+
WHITE
79
<55
84
Age 55+
Characteristics of the RDD Sample
Seventy percent of respondents lived in non-core areas; 30% resided in core cities. Approximately one in five (22%) respondents reported living alone; 77% lived in households with at least one child under the age of 18. Fifty percent of survey participants identified as female, 47% identified as male and the remainder identified as transgender or did not identify a gender. Almost half (48%) were aged 18 to 49. Thirty-one percent reported having a high school education or less. Forty-two percent had a household income of less than $50,000. Seventy percent identified as non-Hispanic white, 85% identified as heterosexual/straight, and 32% indicated they were living in a household in which at least one person had a disability.
# of people in household
1: 22
2: 27
3+: 49
# of children
<18 in household
0: 71
1+: 29
Gender
Female: 50
Male: 47
Age
18-34: 27
35-49: 21
50-64: 24
65+: 21
Education
High school or less: 31
Some college: 40
Bachelors or higher: 28
Income
<$25K: 21
$25K-$49K: 21
$50K-$99K: 25
>$100K: 20
Race/Ethnicity
White: 70
African American/Black: 5
Hispanic/Latino/a: 12
Other: 11
Sexual
Orientation
Heterosexual/Straight: 85
Bisexual: 6
Lesbian/Gay/Homosexual: 3
Other: 1
Someone in household has
a disability
Yes: 32
No: 67
Note: Percentages may not total to 100% due to rounding and/or missing data.
* "Other" includes: Asian, Native American/Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, and Multi-racial