NJ poll finds residents’ wellbeing, demographics shape perceptions of health inequities

In New Jersey–one the healthiest, wealthiest, most diverse states–residents with greater privilege and access to opportunities not only lead healthier lives but also are less likely to acknowledge that systemic factors including racism and discrimination contribute to poor health.

A recent poll among about 2,500 New Jerseyans by the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling at Rutgers University for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) reveals significant differences in perceptions of health equity. Just as a combination of personal experiences, race, gender, income, education, location, and other factors determine health in New Jersey, so too do they influence public awareness and perception of health inequities and their causes.

“Structural racism is not just history. Unjust and unfair policies, practices, and norms underlie every aspect of society, enabling health inequities to persist despite medical advancements,” said Maisha Simmons, RWJF’s senior director of New Jersey grantmaking. “It’s time we truly believe that every neighborhood can be health promoting and look beyond a person’s race to ensure they have the same opportunities as someone else living just a few miles away.”

Despite glaring health disparities along racial lines in New Jersey, only a third of those polled say they feel race and ethnicity have major influence on someone’s ability to lead a healthy life. Black residents (54%) are more likely to believe a person’s race or ethnicity significantly influences health outcomes, compared to white (30%), Hispanic (29%), and Asian (28%) respondents.

The poll results will guide RWJF’s work in its home state to raise awareness of the roles that racism, discrimination, and social and environmental health factors play in achieving and perceiving health equity. Such awareness is crucial to build consensus and garner public support for policies that combat inequity by eliminating racial and economic barriers to good health. 

“This first-of-its-kind poll explores New Jerseyans’ perceptions about public health determinants and disparities, with an emphasis on the crucial role that social forces play in accessing health-related opportunities,” said Ashley Koning, an assistant research professor and director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling at Rutgers University–New Brunswick. “The common threads are the stark differences in opinion by race and ethnicity and the overall lack of recognition by New Jerseyans of the root causes of these disparities.”

Among other major findings:

“Research clearly shows that health is strongly influenced by factors outside of anyone’s individual control,” said Dr. Leslie Kantor, chair of the Department of Urban-Global Public Health at the Rutgers School of Public Health. “These poll findings underscore the need to better educate New Jersey residents about the real challenges faced by people of color, lower- income people, women, and people living in urban areas, and the ways that systems need to change to ensure everyone’s ability to lead healthier lives.”

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is committed to improving health and health equity in the United States. In partnership with others, we are working to develop a Culture of Health rooted in equity that provides every individual with a fair and just opportunity to thrive, no matter who they are, where they live, or how much money they have. For more information, visit www.rwjf.org. Follow the Foundation on Twitter at www.rwjf.org/twitter or on Facebook at www.rwjf.org/facebook.