New NAACP, Sanofi Report Unveils Roadmap for Advancing Health Equity Across the Country

March 10, 2026 
Contact: Chyna Fields, cfields@naacpnet.org 

WASHINGTON – The NAACP, in collaboration with Sanofi, released the findings of the ACE Your Health Community Wellness Survey, one of the largest contemporary grassroots assessments of community health resources in the United States. The report, with nearly 23,000 respondents across 47 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, provides insights into the real-world conditions that drive health outcomes, from the quality of housing and access to transportation to the pervasive impact of chronic stress. 
 

The survey’s findings underscore a critical truth: health is shaped long before a person enters a doctor’s office. While the data show strong neighborhood infrastructure in many communities — with 92% of respondents reporting access to green spaces and 94% having a grocery store nearby — they also reveal persistent, structural inequities. 


Key findings from the report include: 

  • Health Burden is High: 63% percent of respondents report living with at least one chronic health condition, a number that increases with age and decreases with income.
  • Income Dictates Access: Respondents with lower incomes are significantly less likely to live near quality hospitals, more likely to struggle with housing costs, and face greater barriers to reliable transportation.
  • Strong Neighborhood Infrastructure is Widespread: 94% of respondents reported having a grocery store in their neighborhood. And nearly three-quarters (71%) of respondents reported feeling safe in their neighborhoods.
  • Trust in Healthcare is a Factor: While 76% of respondents believe local providers understand their community’s cultural needs, significant gaps remain. Only one in three Black or African American respondents felt providers understood their needs “very much so,” with many reporting feeling dismissed or unheard.
  • Chronic Stress is Pervasive: Qualitative analysis identified chronic stress as the most dominant influence on health — driven by financial strain, unsafe neighborhoods, caregiving burdens, and discrimination.
  • Digital Connectivity is the Norm: 72% of respondents have broadband internet, but households with low incomes rely more heavily on cellular data or public Wi-Fi, impacting access to telehealth and economic opportunity.  

The report identifies five national priority areas where advocacy and investment by experts working to advance health equity can generate the most meaningful change: Housing and Environmental Conditions; Transportation Access; Affordable and Culturally Responsive Care; Food Access and Cost; and Chronic Stress and Caregiving Burden. 
 

“This report confirms what our communities have been saying for generations: your zip code can be a more powerful determinant of your health than your genetic code,” said Dr. Chris Pernell, Director of the NAACP Center for Health Equity. “The ACE Your Health survey moves beyond data points to capture the lived experience of our communities. We cannot treat our way out of this crisis. We must address the root causes: the aging apartments with mold that trigger asthma, the unreliable buses that make it difficult to attend appointments, and the chronic stress of financial insecurity that wears down the body. These findings are a roadmap for policymakers and health leaders to invest in the conditions that create health, not just treat the sickness that results from their absence.” 
 

The collaboration between the NAACP and Sanofi reflects a shared commitment to moving beyond dialogue to drive tangible change. By combining grassroots engagement with rigorous science-based analyses, the ACE Your Health report provides actionable intelligence for local leaders, policy experts, advocates, and health systems. 
 

“The voices of nearly 23,000 people are a powerful reminder that health is shaped, or undermined, long before anyone walks into a doctor’s office. Our collaboration with the NAACP on the ACE Your Health report reflects Sanofi’s belief that the most powerful innovations happen when we act with communities, not just for them, to address the root causes of health inequity,” said Tanisha M. Sullivan, Head, External Engagement and Health Equity Strategy at Sanofi. “These findings give policymakers, health systems, and local leaders the evidence they need to invest in the conditions that truly create health. That is how we build a future where your zip code no longer determines your well-being.” 
 

The report includes city-specific data swaths for fifteen metropolitan areas, enabling local stakeholders to address the unique challenges in their communities. The NAACP will use these findings to inform its advocacy, drive targeted investments, and empower communities to shape their own health futures. 
 

To download the full ACE Your Health Community Wellness Survey Report, visit our website.