Estimating Community Health Outcomes with An Equity-Informed Social Capital Measure

Copyright

2024

Published By

Community Commons

Sponsored By

Health Impact Project

The Health Impact Project, formerly a collaboration of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts, commissioned researchers from University of Minnesota Extension to develop this index. This white paper is brought to you through partnership with The Pew Charitable Trusts and the researchers.

This white paper discusses the RGFI+, a new, equity-informed, county-level measure of social capital. The RGFI+ includes a broader set of organizations where informal socializing activities are likely to occur than its predecessor, the RGFI index. When compared to the RGFI, the RGFI+ documents stronger social capital levels in communities of color--suggesting that the original measure underestimates social capital in some communities.

Authors

Scott Chazdon, PhD; Benjamin Winchester, MS; Jung Ho Choi, MPP