Data Graphics

The Health Policy Institute of Ohio has released a new fact sheet titled “Uplifting Community Voices: Housing and Health.”

The fact sheet uplifts experiences with two programs — Healthy Beginnings at Home (HBAH) and Families Flourish — with emerging evidence of improving housing stability and maternal, child and family health and well-being.

The fact sheet explores the following themes that arose through thematic analysis of program participant and staff interviews:

• Housing access improves physical and mental health
• Housing location matters for well-being
• Social support, resources and time build long-term stability
• Housing programs can provide opportunities for empowerment and advocacy

The fact sheet found that, like other states, Ohio faces major challenges in housing affordability and availability. As illustrated above, housing cost burden varies by county in Ohio, but also by race with Black (20.3%), Hispanic (14.8%) and Asian (11.6%) Ohioans experiencing severe housing cost burden more often than white Ohioans (9.2%).

“Programs like the two highlighted in this fact sheet are needed because, while housing is a foundational driver of health, not everyone has equal access to housing,” the report states. “Stable and safe housing influences access to jobs, healthy food, quality healthcare and educational opportunities and reduces stress. Housing is especially important during pregnancy and for families with young children, impacting maternal, child and family well-being.”

HPIO has released a new policy brief titled, Connections between water quality and health.

The brief focuses on the importance of clean water and the many effects that water pollution and deteriorating infrastructure can have on health throughout life, highlighting data and information for policymakers to improve Ohio’s water quality, including:

• How poor water quality affects health
• Which Ohioans are most affected by poor water quality
• What Ohio has done to address water quality and additional steps the state can take

Despite Ohio having thousands of public water systems serving Ohioans across the state, not every Ohioan has complete access to running water, as illustrated above. In 2021, 124,761 homes (2.4% of homes in Ohio) lacked hot and cold running water and/or a bathtub or shower (i.e., complete plumbing facilities). Lack of complete plumbing was the worst in Appalachian communities, with 4% of homes (35,495 homes) lacking complete access.

HPIO will be hosting a 30-minute webinar on the findings of the brief on Tuesday, April 23, 2024 at 11 am. For more information or to register, visit: https://www.healthpolicyohio.org/events.

This project was made possible through the generous support of the SC Ministry Foundation, which promotes the mission and ministry of the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati, as well as HPIO’s core funders.

Last week, HPIO released a new publication that provides a brief data overview of cannabis use in Ohio and policy considerations for the development of a new regulatory framework for recreational cannabis.

On Nov. 7, 2023, Ohio voters approved Ohio Issue 2. The ballot initiative changed Ohio law to allow the sale and purchase of recreational cannabis, regulated by a new Division of Cannabis Control within the Ohio Department of Commerce. The legislation proposed by Ohio Issue 2 became effective on Dec. 7, 2023, 30 days after the November election.

As the Ohio General Assembly and executive branch consider next steps, policymakers will need to weigh public health, public safety, equity and other considerations.

As displayed above, while the cannabis use rate for Black Ohioans was 1.7 times greater than white Ohioans in 2021, the cannabis arrest rate for Black Ohioans was 5.3 times greater than for white Ohioans the following year.

The Ohio Department of Commerce has posted information on its cannabis policy considerations on the Division of Cannabis Control’s website, including a Non-Medical Cannabis FAQ. The Ohio General Assembly is currently considering two pieces of legislation related to cannabis regulation, House Bill 86 and House Bill 354. More details about the legislation are provided in the HPIO publication.

HPIO has released a new publication that provides a brief data overview of cannabis use in Ohio and policy considerations for the development of a new regulatory framework for recreational cannabis.

As displayed above, in 2021, Ohio had the 10th lowest rate of teen cannabis use, compared to the 43 other states for which data is available.

On Nov. 7, 2023, Ohio voters approved Ohio Issue 2. The ballot initiative changed Ohio law to allow the sale and purchase of recreational cannabis, regulated by a new Division of Cannabis Control within the Ohio Department of Commerce. The legislation proposed by Ohio Issue 2 became effective on Dec. 7, 2023, 30 days after the November election.

As the Ohio General Assembly and executive branch consider next steps, policymakers will need to weigh public health, public safety, equity and other considerations.

The Ohio Department of Commerce has posted information on its cannabis policy considerations on the Division of Cannabis Control’s website, including a Non-Medical Cannabis FAQ. The FAQ includes information pertaining to business licenses and applications, consumers and administrative rules. Several proposed rules were submitted to the Common Sense Initiative on March 1 and public comment on these rules is due by March 13, 2024. More information is available here.

The Ohio General Assembly is currently considering two pieces of legislation related to cannabis regulation, House Bill 86 and House Bill 354. More details about the legislation are provided in the HPIO publication.

In February, HPIO released a new Data Snapshot detailing trends in suicide deaths in Ohio.

Among the data highlighted in the snapshot is the change in mental health challenges among Ohio high school students. As illustrated above, more Ohio high school students reported mental health challenges in 2021 compared to 2019, but the increase among female students was much higher than among male students.

The data snapshot also includes a list of resources to improve suicide prevention in Ohio.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org 24/7 for free and confidential support.

February is American Heart Month and new analysis from HPIO shows that early deaths from heart disease among working-age Ohioans (ages 15-64) vary greatly by county.

According to data included in HPIO’s October 2023 data snapshot Updated Death Trends among Working-age Ohioans, heart disease was the third-leading cause of death for working-age Ohioans, accounting for 5,654 deaths in 2022.

Using data from 2021 and 2022, HPIO found the age-adjusted rate of heart disease deaths among working-age Ohioans in each county, as illustrated above. The analysis shows wide geographic disparity in death rates. For example, Mercer County had the highest rate in Ohio, which, at 272.5 deaths per 100,000 population, was more than twice the rate of the lowest county, Noble, which experienced 132.6 deaths per 100,000 population.

According to the CDC, risk factors for heart disease include high blood pressure, high low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, being overweight/obese, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. Conditions in the communities in which we live, such as access to healthy food and healthcare services and the availability of high-quality jobs, can influence these risk factors.