Race, Ethnicity, and Language (REL) Data Legislation is the standardized collection of healthcare data by race, ethnicity, and language. By collecting this macro-level data, we can identify and address the racial inequities across healthcare in our state.

Who it impacts:

There is a 19-year-difference in life expectancy for someone residing on Colorado Ave in Bridgeport (70 years) and someone residing on Highwood Rd in Westport (89 years). This is the story of healthcare in Connecticut. And we don’t even have the data to explain this discrepancy. REL Data legislation has the potential to improve the quality of healthcare provided to all CT residents, and especially residents of color, by illuminating demographic healthcare trends across our state.

As the Executive Director of Health Equity Solutions, Dr. Tekisha Everette, says: “Our ask is simple: we want standard, uniform data collected in such a manner that racial and ethnic subgroup trends are visible.”

Why it matters:

REL Data is a racial justice issue.

• In Connecticut, black and brown people are disproportionately suffering from maternal morbidity, asthma, diabetes, and COVID-19, and more. Because Connecticut does not collect standardized data on the race, ethnicity, and language of patients, we can’t understand the immensity of the problem, nor can we identify solutions to the healthcare disparities we face.

REL Data will reveal not only the problems, but also the solutions.

• With REL data, we will know unequivocally who is suffering the most from poor health outcomes, and will be able to provide targeted interventions to tangibly improve the health and wellbeing of hundreds of thousands of Connecticut residents.

REL Data collection will honor the confidentiality of individual patients.

• The purpose of REL Data collection is to identify macro-level trends in health disparities by race, ethnicity, and language. Individuals’ healthcare data will remain private, protected, and confidential.