New Regional Study Reveals How Social Drivers of Health Shape Daily Life Across Northeast Ohio
A new 10-county study released by the WellLink Health Alliance offers a look at how social drivers of health (SDoH) affect the well-being, economic stability, and day-to-day experiences of residents across Northeast Ohio. The survey, conducted from February through August 2025, underscores the powerful role that housing, transportation, food access, employment, and neighborhood conditions play in shaping both individual health outcomes and the region’s overall economic vitality.
Spanning Ashland, Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, Summit, and Tuscarawas counties, the study is unique in its geographic breadth and community participation. With guidance from the WellLink SDoH Innovation Hub Advisory Council and the Health Council of Northeast Ohio (HCNO), the study elevates the voices of residents whose lived experiences provide essential insight into the region’s strengths and challenges.
Although each county faces its own unique circumstances — rural residents traveling long distances for care, urban residents navigating higher housing costs, communities grappling with transportation gaps — the survey paints a clear and consistent picture: every county in the region has assets to build upon, and every county has meaningful opportunities for improvement. Together, these findings highlight regional priorities that require coordinated action from community partners, nonprofit organizations, businesses, funders, and policymakers.
A Clear Picture of Daily Pressures
The survey results show that many Northeast Ohio residents face persistent financial and logistical pressures. Nearly half of local adults (45%) reported being always, usually, or sometimes worried about their ability to pay for rent or a mortgage. Consistent with national concerns around housing affordability, almost two in four households spend 30% or more of their income on rent, well above the Healthy People 2030 target of reducing that figure to 25.5%.
Transportation barriers also emerged as a defining challenge across the region. More than half of adults (54%) experienced at least one transportation issue in the past year, and nearly one in five (18%) reported missing medical appointments or being unable to pick up medications due to lack of transportation. In more rural areas, 28% of adults traveled more than 20 miles to access care, underscoring the uneven distribution of health services across counties.
Food insecurity remains a significant concern. One-third of respondents said they worried about having enough food for themselves or their families in the past month, and 44% experienced at least one food insecurity issue in the past year. These stressors extend beyond food access: 33% of adults reported needing help with basic daily needs such as food, clothing, shelter, or utilities in the past month, and more than a quarter had bills they could not pay in the past year.
Behavioral health needs were also prominent, with 26% of adults reporting they received behavioral healthcare within the last year. Additionally, one-third of respondents said extreme weather events — such as flooding, winter storms, or heat waves — were worse than in previous years, reflecting broader environmental pressures affecting households and communities.
Building a Stronger, More Resilient Region
By establishing a baseline of community conditions, this study offers a roadmap for regional collaboration. It provides shared, actionable knowledge that can help guide policy decisions, inform investments, and support collective efforts to strengthen the social drivers that enable individuals and families to thrive.
Most importantly, the survey places residents’ voices at the center. Their experiences illuminate where systems are working, where gaps persist, and where targeted efforts can create the greatest impact.
As WellLink and its partners move forward, this report serves as both a call to action and a foundation for progress. Across sectors and county lines, leaders now have clearer insight into what it will take to build a Northeast Ohio where every person has the stability, opportunity, and support needed to live a healthy and fulfilling life.
