We show here a composite score of essential drivers of health and well-being as defined for the RI Life Index. The topic areas comprise the RI Life Index, focused on community life and quality of community elements, including affordable housing, quality education, and good jobs. We ask consistent questions around these topics every year so that we can address areas of concern and measure progress towards improving the overall quality of life, health, and well-being of Rhode Islanders.
2021
RI LIFE INDEX

Summary: Perceptions of Community
The report begins at the widest point of the lens, with summaries of perceptions of community that incorporate a range of social determinants of health, and quickly moves into a breakdown of those key factors.
PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNITY
QUALITY OF COMMUNITY
DEFINITION
Quality of community scoring represents a summary of how residents rate social and economic aspects of their community, including the following topics:
- Access to childcare
- Activities for youth
- Employment
- Access to affordable food
- Cost of living
- Availability and quality of services and programs for seniors
QUESTION WORDING: For each statement, tell me if that statement is completely descriptive, somewhat descriptive, not very descriptive, or not descriptive at all of your community.


PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNITY
COMMUNITY LIFE
DEFINITION
Community life scoring represents a summary of how residents perceive the lived experiences of typical individuals in their community, in the following areas:
- Employment
- Education
- Convenient locations for nutritious food
- Access to affordable housing
- Access to healthcare
- Feeling safe at home
QUESTION WORDING: For each statement, please tell me how likely each is for a typical person living in your community: very likely; somewhat likely; somewhat unlikely; and very unlikely


Perceptions of Community: Topics
Here we show perceptions of specific social determinants of health.
PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNITY
CHILDREN
DEFINITION
How do residents rate programs and services available for children?
TOPICS: Place to raise children; access to quality education; activities for youth


PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNITY
OLDER ADULTS
DEFINITION
How do residents rate the availability of services in their community for older adults?
TOPICS: Availability of special transportation services; availability of social and civic programs; quality of healthcare services;


PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNITY
ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS FOOD
DEFINITION
How do residents rate access to affordable, nutritious food?
TOPICS: Access to nutritious affordable food; convenience of location of nutritious food


PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNITY
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
DEFINITION
How do residents rate access to affordable, quality housing?
TOPICS: Cost of housing; availability of affordable housing


PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNITY
COST OF LIVING
DEFINITION
How do residents rate the cost of living in their community?
TOPICS: Affordable, high-quality childcare; cost of quality housing; difficulty paying for utilities


PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNITY
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
DEFINITION
How do residents rate job opportunities and job training programs?
TOPICS: Availability of jobs; employment with living wage; access to adult education


PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNITY
HEALTHCARE ACCESS
DEFINITION
How do residents rate their ability to access healthcare?
TOPICS: Access to routine medical care; access to mental health or substance abuse treatment


Actual Experiences
Here we show data on the actual experiences of respondents with regard to their economic situation, food security, access to technology, and racial equity.
ACTUAL EXPERIENCES
RACIAL EQUITY
DEFINITION
How do residents rate racial equity at work, when seeking healthcare, and in personal interactions?
TOPICS: Treatment at work; experiences seeking healthcare; unfair treatment; fear for personal safety


ACTUAL EXPERIENCES
FOOD SECURITY
DEFINITION
How do residents rate their level of food security?
TOPICS: Worries about having enough food; financial ability to buy food


ACTUAL EXPERIENCES
ECONOMIC SITUATION
DEFINITION
How do residents rate their current financial situation?
TOPICS: Personal economic and financial situation; money in savings


ACTUAL EXPERIENCES
ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY
DEFINITION
How do residents rate their access to technology?
TOPICS: High-speed Internet access; smartphone access


Special Topics
Here you will see findings from this year’s special topics, reported as percentages rather than POP scores.
HEALTH MANAGEMENT
CONFIDENCE IN MANAGING HEALTH PROBLEMS
DEFINITION
Thinking about your health, how confident are you that you can manage any health problems you have? (Percent responding Somewhat or Very Confident)

DEFINITION
Was there a time in the past 12 months when you or anyone else in your household needed to see a doctor but did NOT go for medical care?

HEALTH MANAGEMENT
REASON NOT TO SEE A DOCTOR
DEFINITION
For those indicating there was a time in the past 12 months when someone in the household needed to see a doctor but did NOT go for medical care, what was the most important reason.




SPECIAL TOPICS
INTERNET & TECHNOLOGY
DEFINITION
Overall, how confident do you feel using computers, smartphones, or other electronic devices to do the things you need to do online?

DEFINITION
Please tell me whether the following applies to your household: You have high-speed internet access at home.

The monthly cost of a home subscription is too expensive





