RUSH Office of Community Health Equity and Engagement 2022 Impact Report

Collaborating for Change

Chicago is a tale of two cities. In neighborhoods where residents are mostly white and affluent, life expectancy can be as high as 90 years. But in neighborhoods where the population is mostly people of color and poverty rates are high, life expectancy sinks as low as 60 years.

That 30-year life expectancy gap is one of the largest in any American city. In many West Side neighborhoods struggling with poverty, systemic racism, lack of educational opportunities and other social determinants of health, the gap is largely driven by high rates of chronic illness, including heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and obesity.

Addressing the root causes of poor health and improving the quality of life in our communities is the path to helping people live longer, healthier lives. The RUSH Office of Community Health Equity and Engagement (CHEE) team focuses on strategic initiatives and community partnerships that dismantle barriers to good health.

Undoing the effects of decades of disinvestment and structural racism is an enormous job, and we know we can’t do it on our own. CHEE works closely with institutional partners, including government agencies and other health systems — but our most important partners are our neighbors and communitybased organizations.

The people who live, work and attend school in a neighborhood are the experts on what their community needs to thrive. They help us identify local needs, develop strategies to address them and prioritize our efforts. Working together brings us closer to our goal of making sure everyone has equal access to the building blocks of good health.

In the following pages, you’ll see snapshots of some of our accomplishments from fiscal year 2022, and words from community members and RUSH team members. Together, we’re serving community members and building lasting collaborations that help improve health in our West Side neighborhoods and across the Chicagoland area.

In community,

Rukiya Curvey Johnson Vice president, community health equity Executive director, RUSH Education and Career Hub (REACH)