Whether Californians vote may hinge on race, ethnicity, UCLA health survey finds

Ballots have been rolling in ahead of Election Day, but a big question remains: How many people will ultimately vote?  According to data from the latestCalifornia Health Interview Survey, or CHIS, an estimated 2.8 million eligible Californians never vote in national, state or local elections, and 7.7 million only vote sometimes — which could potentially leave more than 10 million ballots uncast. The findings on voter participation and other demographic and health-related topics are part of the  UCLA Center for Health Policy Research ’s annual CHIS data release, which takes place online today at noon PT.The 2019 edition of the survey, which includes responses from 22,160 adults, 847 teens and 3,009 children (with answers obtained through their parents), covers a range of topics about Californians and health, including medical conditions, access to health care, mental health, health status and health behaviors.  New questions in the adult portion of the survey address opioid use, internet and social media use, whether residents avoid public assistance  programs, and how physical and environmental factors affect health. All of these topics can be compared across race and ethnicity, gender, age, income level and other sociodemographic categories.The researchers stress that the data from the new CHIS are especially crucial at this time, with the nation confronting the COVID-19 pandemic and the systemic racial equity issues that have been brought to light as a result of...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news