HEALTH EQUITY REPORT

Child and adolescent well-care health disparities

Children from minority families, or those who don't speak English, are more likely to miss well-child visits and vaccinations, and face health disparities later on.
Young boy playing with toys on the floor in his bedroom
What we know

Not every Tennessee child is getting the healthy start they deserve

Everyone deserves to pursue their health goals, but some communities have historically been left behind. We’re committed to health equity, and it starts with a better understanding of the challenges our neighbors face.

Key facts about childhood health disparities in Tennessee1

In 2022
17.6%
of Tennessee's children were living below the poverty level compared to 16.3% in the U.S
In 2023
15.3%
of Black infants were born prematurely, compared to 10.5% of White infants
In 2023
14.7%
of Hispanic children in Tennessee did not have health insurance
In the 2022-2023 flu season, only
12%
of Black adolescents had received a flu immunization

By the numbers: child and adolescent well-care for

This data shows how likely members are to receive certain screenings, care or treatments, broken down by race. Each data measure has a specific definition provided under “See More.”

We split the data by type of health plan because we know that, generally speaking, Medicaid members tend to face more social risk factors and health disparities than people with commercial health plans.

Social factors drive health outcomes

We know that food, housing and literacy are just a few of the social factors that influence a person's health journey. That's why we developed a Social Risk Index to understand and support our members' needs.

Two young girls holding hands and walking outside

Addressing social drivers of health related to child and adolescent well-care

We're providing culturally competent care training to health care providers to help members get the support they need and to address health disparities preventing members from getting crucial health exams or immunizations.

ADVANCING HEALTH EQUITY
Two young girls holding hands and walking outside

Data Sources