Health Care and Life Sciences
The Gardner Institute employs a senior health care analyst and a team of economists knowledgeable about Utah’s health care policies and economy. We also benefit from a Health Care Advisory Council that guides our research agenda and supports the development of a health care policy practice area. Our research focus areas include, but are not limited to: (1) analyzing state and national health care trends; (2) collaborating with health care experts and community leaders to analyze relevant health care policy; and (3) conducting research and preparing data on Utah’s health care sector.
Preparing for the Future: The Potential Long-Term Impacts of COVID-19 on Utah’s Child and Youth Mental Health
Understanding the potential impact of these issues will be important to ensuring a thriving future for Utah’s children.
The Connection between COVID-19 and Type 2 Diabetes: Underscoring the Need for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management
Research increasingly shows that individuals with type 2 diabetes face a greater chance of experiencing severe complications from COVID-19.
Fact Sheet: Growth Trends in Utah’s Life Sciences Industry
Utah’s mature life sciences industry continues to experience strong growth relative to nationwide trends, even during recessions. Newly released data show that employment trends the Gardner Institute first identified through 2017 persisted into the pandemic. The number of life sciences jobs in Utah jumped 7.2% in 2020. This is the second highest single-year growth among states with large-scale life sciences activity. As for five-year trends, industry employment gains in Utah tempered slightly from 5.0% per year from 2012 to 2017 to 4.8% per year from 2015 to 2020.
Diversity in Utah: Race, Ethnicity, and Sex Data Book
This report provides data and information to help state and community leaders make progress in their equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts. Gov. Spencer Cox’s One Utah Roadmap, the Utah Legislature’s policies to extend opportunity to all, and business and community leaders’ Utah Compact on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion provide three significant examples in the past year of Utah’s commitment. The data and context provided in this report shed light on existing disparities; help people understand the complexities of these measures; and help provide a starting point for evaluating future progress.
Early Childhood Mental Health in Utah
Early childhood mental health services address an important need in Utah. More data and collaboration in this area can help maximize health, opportunity, and public investment outcomes.
Moving Toward Evidence-Based Programs: Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder in Utah
Drug overdose is the leading cause of injury death in Utah, and opioid-related drug overdoses are a significant contributor to the rise in drug overdose deaths in recent history. In 2018, close to half of all opioid overdose deaths were prescription related, and 47% involved illicit opioids such as heroin. Fortunately, opioid use disorder (OUD) can be treated. Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) is “a combination of psychosocial therapy and U.S. Food and Drug Administration– approved medication”iii and has positive, evidence-based effects on OUD.
A Roadmap for Improving Utah’s Behavioral Health System, 2020
Utah is in the midst of a behavioral health crisis. High suicide rates, untreated anxiety and depression, serious mental illness, and high rates of opioid use disorder and other drug-related deaths are all signs of the need for accessible, affordable, and comprehensive behavioral health services.
Utah’s Mental Health System
Our country is in the midst of a mental health crisis. Increasing suicide rates, untreated anxiety and depression among our youth, traumatic brain injuries, and serious mental illness are all signs of the need for accessible, affordable, and comprehensive mental health services. Utah is not exempt from this crisis. Utah has a high rate of adults with mental illness, but a shortage of mental health providers.
2019 Rural Health Convening (Intermountain Healthcare Convening Proceedings Report)
On June 24–25, 2019, Intermountain Healthcare hosted the 2019 Rural Health Convening in Midway, Utah. The convening brought together leaders from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and rural healthcare providers from the Mountain West.
Staying Ahead of the Curve: Utah’s Future Health Care Needs
Utah is known as a low-cost, healthy state, but the factors that help us maintain our position as one of the healthiest states in the country are changing. Rising health care expenditures, a growing senior population, and a changing demographic profile will impact Utah's future health care needs. This report provides data and information on Utah’s changing demographic profile and evolving demands for health care.