Wisconsin Creates Office of Health Equity

Tuesday, May 18th, 2021 -- 11:01 AM

(WMTV) Wisconsin’s top health agency announced the creation of an Office of Health Equity Monday to improve health outcomes of historically underrepresented groups.

This new office will do research and analyze policy to address causes of differing health outcomes, the Department of Health Services explained. According to DHS, Hispanic or Latinx people living in Wisconsin are more than one and a half times more likely to be infected with COVID-19 compared to those who are white.

People who are Black are also twice as likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 and those who are American Indian are one and a half times more likely to die from COVID-19, according to the data dashboard.

DHS secretary-designee Karen Timberlake said the agency needs to change circumstances that create health disparities in order to provide better outcomes.

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